Type of Surgery
Information

Last updated: 11/24/2009
In most cases, only permanent teeth are replanted. Primary teeth (baby teeth) do not usually have long enough roots for successful replantation. The only exception may be the canine teeth, which have longer roots and therefore a better chance of staying...
in place. In some cases, however, the dentist may choose to replant a child's primary tooth because there is risk to the permanent tooth that has not yet emerged.
To replant a tooth, the dentist or oral surgeon will first administer a local anesthetic to numb the patient's gums. He or she will then reinsert the avulsed tooth in its socket and anchor it within the mouth by installing a splint made of wire and composite resin. Some dentists remove the root canal nerve of the tooth and replace it with a plastic material before reinserting the tooth. The splint holds the tooth in place for two to six weeks. At that time, the splint can be removed and the tooth examined for stability.
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Definition
Tooth replantation is the reinsertion and splinting of a tooth that has been avulsed (knocked or torn out) of its socket.
Purpose
Teeth are replanted to prevent permanent loss of the tooth, and to restore the landscape of the mouth so that the patient can eat and speak normally.
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