Assessing the impact of apicoectomy on autotransplantation success rates: A six-year retrospective cohort study in Taiwan

Background/purpose

Tooth autotransplantation is a viable surgical approach for rehabilitating edentulous areas. However, the influence of endodontic interventions, particularly apicoectomy, on outcomes of transplanting fully developed teeth remains incompletely understood. This study evaluated success and survival rates of autotransplantation in fully developed teeth and assessed the impact of various endodontic interventions on treatment outcomes in a Taiwanese population over a six-year period.

Materials and methods

A retrospective cohort study examined records of patients who underwent tooth autotransplantation at National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan, between 2018 and 2023. The study included 40 patients with 45 fully developed transplanted teeth. Three specialists evaluated radiographic images. Statistical analyses determined the influence of endodontic interventions on transplantation outcomes.

Results

The mean patient age at surgery was 35.1 ± 12.5 years and the mean follow-up period was 11.7 ± 9.9 months. Success rate at latest follow-up was 64.1 %, while survival rate reached 89.7 %. No statistically significant difference was observed between teeth that underwent apicoectomy or other endodontic interventions and those that did not (P-value >0.05).

Conclusion

Despite the modest success rate, possibly due to stringent evaluation criteria, the high survival rate confirms that autotransplantation of fully developed teeth is effective when following strict protocols. Current evidence suggests endodontic interventions do not significantly influence treatment outcomes.