Allogenic tooth transplantation using 3D printing: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

BACKGROUND The history of allogenic tooth transplantation can be traced back to the 16th century. Although there have been many successful cases, much needs to be better understood and researched prior to the technique being translated to everyday clinical practice. CASE SUMMARY In the present report, we describe a case of allogenic tooth transplantation between a mother and her daughter. The first left maxillary molar of the mother was diagnosed with residual root resorption and needed to be extracted. The 3rd molar of the daughter was used as a donor tooth. Prior to transplantation, a 3D printing system was introduced to fabricate an individualized reamer drill specifically designed utilizing the donor's tooth as a template. The specific design of our 3D printed bur allowed for the recipient site to better match the donor tooth. With the ability to 3D print in layers, even the protuberance of the root can be matched and 3D printed, thereby minimizing unnecessary bone loss. CONCLUSION Our study is a pioneering case combining 3D printing with allogenic tooth transplantation, which could be able to minimize unnecessary bone loss and improve the implant stability. This article aims to enhance our understanding of allogenic tooth transplantation and 3D printing, and may potentially lead to tooth transplantation being utilized more frequently - especially since transplantations are so commonly utilized in many other fields of medicine with high success rates.