Periodontal tactile sensation and occlusal loading condition of autotransplanted teeth: A retrospective pilot study

Purpose The objectives of this retrospective pilot study were: (1) to examine the occlusal properties (periodontal tactile sensation, occlusal force support ability, dynamic tooth mobility, occlusal force, contact area, preferred chewing side and main occluding area) of autotransplanted teeth with no clinical complications after transplantation (postoperative periods from 1 to 7 years). Methods Three groups were formed from 20 subjects (23 teeth in each group): autotransplanted teeth (ATP group), teeth contralateral to the recipient site (control group A), and teeth contralateral to the donor site (control group B). Results The tactile detection threshold of the ATP group was higher than both the control groups, and the individual occlusal force was significantly lower than control group A. The occlusal force ratio and the occlusal contact area ratio were significantly lower in the ATP group than in both control groups, while the mobility was similar in all groups. Eight out of 20 subjects chose the autotransplanted teeth side as the preferred chewing side. Especially when the recipient site was the first molar, the ATP of these subjects were included in the main occluding area. The pocket depth of the three groups was within the normal range. Conclusions These results demonstrate that teeth autotransplantation can achieve a mastication efficiency and periodontal condition similar to normal teeth; however, without proper healing, the periodontal sensation of autotransplanted teeth may be inferior to that of normal teeth (<250).