Dental Autotransplantation or Immediate Single Implant for the Replacement of a Hopeless Molar: A Comparative Case Series Study.

Abstract

Dental autotransplantation (ATT) of mature teeth in adult patients has recently been supported by a growing body of evidence. Thus, ATT can be considered as an alternative to single implants for the replacement of a compromised tooth. This case series aims to provide an initial comparison between ATT (test group) and immediate implant treatment (IIT; control group) in terms of volumetric changes and patient-related outcome measures (PROMs). A total of 31 interventions (29 patients) were grouped into two similar cohorts. Measurements were made on the superimposed STL files before and at least 6 months after treatment, and PROMs were obtained from a questionnaire in two follow-up checks. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Adverse events and complications were also recorded. Volume reduction was 3 to 4 times less in the ATT group than in the ITT group (P < .05). Patients in the ATT group reported higher levels of perceived inflammation than the IIT group (P = .015), though patients rated satisfaction similarly between the two treatments (9+ on a scale of 1 to 10). Although this research should be considered an initial step and requires larger samples and follow-up, it supports the trend of including ATT as an alternative option to IIT in molar replacement.