Late reposition of a lateral luxated maxillary incisor with an immature apex

• Published in: Dental traumatology 2009-10, Vol.25 (5), p.550-554
• Main Authors: Pelka, Matthias, Berthold, Christine, Van Waes, Hubertus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child, Preschool; Dentistry; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incisor - injuries; Maxilla; Time Factors; Tooth Apex - growth & development; Tooth Avulsion - pathology; Tooth Avulsion - surgery; Tooth Replantation - methods
• ISSN: 1600-4469; 1600-9657
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-9657.2009.00814.x

–  Here we describe an unusual trauma case. A recently erupted permanent upper‐right incisor sustained a lateral luxation when a 5‐year‐old girl on a playground climbing net dropped off, catching the right upper incisor in the net. The tooth was laterally luxated in vestibular direction, and no other signs of injury occurred. A dental practitioner could not reposition the bony locked tooth. Four days later, the girl came to our clinic, and we performed an incomplete repositioning of the tooth and made a flexible splint. Controls were made at 1, 6, and 12 weeks and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months later. The 24‐month follow‐up clinical examination revealed the patient to be asymptomatic and the tooth to be completely functional, and the recall radiograph showed further apical root growth. The implications of a late incomplete reposition of laterally luxated permanent teeth with immature apices are discussed.