A 10-Year Case: A Tooth Saved from New York, Gangnam, and Bundang #Replantation #DrChoiYonghoon #ToothSaving

I didn't set out to do this, but after nearly 20 years focused on this one path, I've come across all kinds of stories.

This is a tooth-saving case that I'm proud to share.

For reference, this post isn't one of those long posts that pad out obvious points just to stretch the length.

I wrote this post myself.

Here's the story.

A 25-year-old female patient living in New York, USA,

had severe pain in an upper left molar.

She went to a dental clinic in New York that is highly regarded, even in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and received root canal treatment plus retreatment.

The pain continued, and she kept complaining about it.

A well-known dental clinic in New York told her to have the tooth extracted and get an implant.

She was still in her mid-20s and young, and her parents had an acquaintance who is a dental professor at a university hospital in Gangnam affiliated with a major corporation.

Not wanting to have the tooth pulled, she hurried back to Korea

and went to a university hospital in Gangnam.

Even with another round of retreatment, the chances of success were low, since the treatment had already been done by a top-tier endodontist in the US.

The conclusion at that university hospital was that there wasn't much more they could do.

That professor said that a specialist in saving teeth like this worked at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, so he personally called them and accompanied the patient.

They then moved to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

Naturally, the root canal work looked neat, but she complained of pain so severe that the tooth couldn't even be touched.

The roots were splayed apart and the alveolar bone was very thick... It was the most difficult tooth possible for replantation, but

the patient and her guardians were adamant about saving the tooth, and since the university hospital had said it couldn't be done,

replantation was the only option left.

Fortunately, the tooth was extracted safely, and the replantation was completed successfully.

This took place ten years ago, in April 2016.

The patient then returned to the US,

and each time she came back to Korea once a year, she came to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for a checkup.

After I opened my own clinic and moved to Pangyo,

she tracked me down and has been coming to see me.

She had two checkups from last year through this year, and the condition of the tooth is very satisfying.

Since this post is visible to others but also serves as a record I keep like a personal diary,

I'm leaving this record as a post.

The patient, who was in her mid-20s back then, is now in her mid-30s,

and since she has two wisdom teeth that are a perfect fit for transplantation,

the chances that she'll need an implant anytime soon are very low.

This was a patient for whom saving a tooth that others in the US considered unsalvageable was especially rewarding.

For a detailed explanation, please watch the YouTube video.

Subscribing and liking are always appreciated!

#ToothTransplant #WisdomToothTransplant #Replantation #DrChoiYonghoon #ToothSaving

Frequently Asked Questions

What is replantation?

Replantation is a procedure in which a tooth is carefully extracted and then reinserted to save it. In the case described in this article, the difficulty was very high because the roots were splayed apart and the alveolar bone was thick, but it was chosen because there were no other options.

Can pain still occur after root canal treatment?

Yes. In the case described in this article, the pain continued even after root canal treatment and retreatment. In this situation, the patient was advised to have the tooth extracted and receive an implant, but since she did not want the extraction, she sought out another hospital.

What characteristics make a tooth difficult to replant?

The article explains that replantation is highly difficult when the roots are splayed apart and the alveolar bone is very thick. The case described here was reported to be the most difficult tooth possible for replantation.

When was this replantation performed?

It was performed in April 2016. The article reports that the extraction and replantation were completed safely and successfully. The patient then returned to the United States, and each time she came back to Korea once a year, she had checkups at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

Can wisdom teeth be used for transplantation?

Yes. The case described in this article mentions that the patient has two wisdom teeth suitable for transplantation. For this reason, it explains that the likelihood of needing an implant for the time being is very low.