Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate periodontal tissue healing of autotransplanted teeth.Ten Japanese dogs were used for this study. Prior to the transplantation, lower premolar and molars were extracted under general anesthesia. Three months later, the lower third incisors were extracted and autotransplanted into the newly prepared bone cavities in the mandibular extracted area.Evaluations were made at 1,2,4 and 8 weeks after transplantation. At these observation times, the dogs were sacrificed under general anesthesia.Block sections containing teeth and their surrounding tissues were removed and fixed by immersion in Karnovsky's fixative solution. Each specimen was decalcified in 10%EDTA, sectioned, stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under the light microscope, and a few specimens were examined under the transmission electron microscope.
The results were as follows:
One week after transplantation, degenerated periodontal ligaments were found around the transplanted teeth. Four weeks later newly formed bone trabeculae were observed in the alveolar bone cavity. Eight weeks after transplantation, alveolar bone proper was formed around the transplanted teeth. However, most specimens showed that functional arrangements of periodontal ligaments were not seen in this period. Only a few specimens at 8 weeks showed functional arrangements of periodontal ligaments.
It may be concluded that the prognosis for transplanted teeth depends on the viability of periodontal ligaments, and newly induced periodontal ligaments surround the transplanted teeth.
