Evaluating Emdogain® and healing of replanted teeth using an intra-individual experimental–control study design

Abstract –  The purpose of the present investigation was to use an intra-individual experimental–control study design to explore if application of Emdogain^® prior to re-plantation after a dry extra-alveolar period of 60 min would promote a favorable healing of the periodontal ligament cells. Ten patients, for whom already decisions had been taken to extract two maxillary premolars because of crowding, participated in the study. The teeth were extracted and endodontic treatment was performed extra orally. The experimental tooth and its alveolar socket were covered with Emdogain^® prior to replantation. The contra lateral tooth served as a control and was replanted without any prior treatment. The teeth were stabilized with a retainer for 3–7 days and the patients were followed up every third week. After 13 weeks, the teeth were finally extracted and prepared for histological examination. Radiographs were taken before the study period, at day 29 and prior to the final extraction. The results were in favor of Emdogain^®, but the overall difference between the Emdogain^®-treated tooth and its control was rather small, and it seemed questionable if the registered differences could be of any obvious practical clinical importance. Histologically, all the teeth showed some degree of pathology after such a long dry extra-oral time and the outcome seemed to be more correlated to the individual than to the treatment. Given more favorable conditions regarding storage medium and/or extra-oral time, Emdogain^® might still be of value for an uncomplicated healing after replantation.