Tooth avulsion. A RCT on replantation of teeth withextra-oral dry time >60 minutes

Background: A widespread lack of knowledge about the immediatemanagement of tooth avulsion results in an extended extra oral drytime, which leads to an increase of complications.Aim: This study aims to assess what should be the endodonticapproach in the case of replantation with extraoral dry-time>60 min.Design: Thirty nine patients were selected, in the period January2004–December 2010, that had a dental element with extra-oraltime >60 min but less than 24 h. Randomization was performedso as to divide the population into two groups. Group 1, extra-oralendodontic therapy and subsequent replantation. Group 2, replantationand subsequent endodontic therapy in 7–15 days. Clinicaland radiographic evaluations were carried out.Results: All 36 patients showed a similar trend between the twogroups; at the time of splint removal clinically a reduced mobilitywas observed which was physiological after one month. Radiographicallythe trend was more variable, initially because there wasan increase in resorption processes dependent on the group. After 2and at 4 years, the resorption was similar for both groups.Conclusions: Extraoral endodontic therapy initially appeared toimprove the results, but at 4 years this tend to equalize with theother group. These data allow us to conclude that both proceduresresult in by root resorption, but both still allow the retention of theelement in the dental arch, thus preserving the space and the softand bonnie tissue.