Orthodontic treatment combined with tooth transplantation for an adult patient with a missing mandibular first molar: long-term follow-up.

A Japanese woman, age 29 years 8 months, had a missing mandibular left first molar, bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion, and crowding. She had a skeletal Class II relationship and a long face with a steep mandible. She had previously undergone root canal treatment for the mandibular right second premolar, and the mandibular left third molar was impacted. The maxillary left first premolar was extracted for autotransplantation to the mandibular left first molar region. After confirmation of a favorable prognosis for the transplanted tooth, the maxillary right first premolar, the mandibular right second premolar, and the impacted mandibular left third molar were extracted for orthodontic treatment. The active orthodontic treatment period was 32 months. The patient returned for follow-up records 12 years 7 months after the active treatment, and her facial profile and occlusion were well maintained. At 13 years 9 months after transplantation, no abnormalities were observed with the transplanted tooth in the radiographic and clinical evaluations.

Sequential analysis of head movement during mandibular open-close movements in TMD patients with disc displacement with reduction.

This study examined relationships between starting points of head and mandibular movements in 11 female control subjects and 10 TMD patients showing disc displacement with reduction during consecutive open-close movements, using a six-degree-of-freedom measuring device. During the first mandibular opening cycle, in the TMD group, head movement was significantly preceded in relation to mandibular movement when compared with the control group, and major differences in onset were seen between maximum and minimal values at the beginning of mandibular movements. After the second cycle, significant differences in starting points were not evident. In TMD patients showing disc displacement with reduction, in the first cycle, at the commencement of opening movements, it is proposed that the head precedes the mandible in order to compensate for irregular condylar movements, and the degree of the condylar movement irregularity might affect the onset relation between the head and the mandible.