Does More Technology Always Mean Better Results in Dental Surgery? Evaluating Technology in Dental Autotransplants

 

When a patient loses a tooth, especially at a young age or when implants aren’t advisable, dental autotransplantation offers a unique solution. This procedure involves transplanting a patient’s own tooth—often a wisdom tooth or another non-erupted molar—to replace a lost tooth, making it a natural, biological alternative to dental implants. It’s particularly valuable for younger patients whose jaws are still growing since implants are typically contraindicated in such cases due to the risks they pose to developing bone.

In our recent clinical trial, we investigated whether advanced imaging technology (CBCT scans) and 3D-printed tooth replicas would improve the success of autotransplantation. Surprisingly, the results showed no significant difference in clinical outcomes between patients treated with the traditional approach and those using the CBCT/3D-printed protocol. While the technology helped streamline the procedure, it didn’t ultimately impact the success rate. This suggests that, in certain cases, traditional methods may be just as effective, and opting for advanced techniques may only increase the cost of care without adding tangible benefits to patients.

Study supported by EU Horizon 2020 No 857287, Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence, and Latvian Council of Science (IEVA Project No lzp-2022/1-0047). Study conducted at Riga Stradins University, Institute of Stomatology, and published on 06 November 2024.

Full text: Lejnieks, M., Akota, I., Jākobsone, G., Neimane, L., Uribe, S.E., 2024. Clinical Efficacy of CBCT and 3D-Printed Replicas in Molar Autotransplantation: A Controlled Clinical Trial. Dental Traumatology.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/edt.13012