Anterior fixed interim prosthesis with natural tooth crown as pontic subsequent to replantation failure

Abstract

Facial trauma resulting in tooth avulsion results in problems of physical and emotional nature for the patient and a challenge for the dentist. Avulsion accounts for 0.5–16% of traumatic injuries in the permanent dentition that can occur at any age and is most common in the young permanent dentition. As an emergency procedure, it is advisable to replant a traumatically avulsed tooth, but unfortunately long-term success is rather low. After unsuccessful replantation and subsequent extraction, it is prudent to replace the lost tooth to avoid aesthetic, masticatory, and psychological difficulties and also to prevent arch length discrepancy with various alternatives are available for the same. We presented a method for management of one of the two replanted teeth that showed failure, using the natural crown as pontic in a fixed semi-permanent bridge until a more definitive prosthesis can be fabricated at a later age for better patient compliance.

Natural tooth as an interim prosthesis

“…In this regard, fixed acid-etch bridging may offer several advantages over removable appliances including enhanced esthetics, ease of use, and avoidance of becoming accustomed to a removable prosthesis. [ 11 ] This approach would also permit utilization of a patient's natural crown as a pontic for an immediate bridge, with little or no need to perform complicated laboratory procedures. Besides the use of resin composite to splint the pontic to neighboring sound teeth, the possibility of utilizing fiber-reinforced bridges has recently become possible.…”

“…No long-term follow-up results for this study have been reported. [ 11 ] Another study where alternative treatment option for the premature loss of a traumatized maxillary central incisor because of extensive root resorption and mobility, a fixed appliance-type provisional prosthesis was fabricated using the patient's natural clinical crown from the extracted tooth. [ 10 ] The outcomes of the present study provided similar results which are durable, esthetic, and convenient.…”

“…Hence, the advantage of retaining the patient's natural crown was made use of so that the patient can better tolerate the effect of tooth loss and also the natural tooth provides the optimal pontic in terms of shape, color, size, and alignment. [ 10 11 ]…”