Apical cysts are formed when bacteria invade the pulp cavity, causing infection of the tissues around the root apex, like an unexploded bomb in the mouth. Ms. Tang, 31, needed to have her second molar in the lower jaw extracted due to tooth decay and apical cysts. The traditional treatment was to implant an “artificial implant” into the missing tooth, but after a professional evaluation by a cross-team, it was decided to perform an “autologous tooth transplant” operation, using a navigation system with 3D printing technology and a microscope to transplant the left upper wisdom tooth into the missing tooth. After the transplant, the patient recovered well and was able to eat normally. Ms. Tang often shares with her relatives and friends: “I never thought that I could transplant wisdom teeth that I thought were useless. Now I feel at ease when I eat, and there is no foreign body sensation.”
Turning wisdom teeth into gold and removing unexploded bombs in the mouth
Teeth are one of the organs that people care about the most and are most likely to ignore. People often only see dentists when they are in so much pain that they can’t handle it. At this time, they may have lost the ability to show a brilliant smile and taste food. Director Du Zheguang of the Department of Dentistry of Kaohsiung Medical University said that the principle of tooth transplant surgery is to remove the patient’s wisdom teeth, and after proper treatment, immediately transplant them to the position of the missing teeth, and through fixation and subsequent adjustments, the teeth can grow stably in the new position. This technology is particularly suitable for young patients, especially those with healthy, redundant wisdom teeth, and can turn useless wisdom teeth into useful functional teeth.
Navigation system combined with 3D printing technology effectively shortens surgery time
Director Zhuang Fuxiong of the Department of Endodontics of Kaohsiung Medical University further explained that although autologous tooth transplantation has been around for many years, it is relatively unfamiliar to the general public, and there are many variables in traditional treatment. The use of navigation systems and 3D printing models can greatly shorten surgery time, reduce patient pain, and improve surgical accuracy and success rate. Compared with artificial dental implants, because the transplant uses the patient’s own teeth, it has excellent biocompatibility, greatly reduces the patient’s foreign body sensation, and the recovery period of surgery is also fast.
Protect your teeth and don’t neglect regular oral checkups
Li Huina, attending physician of the Endodontics Department of Kaohsiung Medical University, also reminded that when there are missing teeth in the mouth, if there is a need for autologous tooth transplantation, you can ask a dentist to evaluate whether wisdom teeth are suitable as a source of transplanted teeth. However, not all wisdom teeth are suitable for retention. If wisdom teeth grow in the right position and are healthy, they may become an option for future transplantation; but if there is insufficient space, difficulty in cleaning, or periodontal problems, extraction should still be considered. Through regular oral checkups, early planning can be made to provide an extra layer of protection for dental health.
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