Use of a replica graft tooth for evaluation before autotransplantation of a tooth. A CAD/CAM model produced using dental-cone-beam computed tomography

A 33-year-old man was referred by a local dentist for autotransplantation of the right mandibular third molar to the site of the left mandibular first molar. Before the operation, dental-cone-beam computed tomography was performed to measure the dimensions of the graft tooth and the bone volume of the socket. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of the graft tooth was created from the 3D imaging data. A replica of the graft tooth was produced using a stereolithographic CAD/CAM system before autotransplantation. A socket of the appropriate size and structure was created and the graft tooth was extracted immediately before grafting. This procedure shortened the time needed to fit the graft tooth into the socket and reduced injury to the periodontal membrane. The postoperative outcomes of autotransplantation of the tooth were good.