Low-speed drilling without irrigation has a long history of use in implant dentistry. It provides the advantage of avoiding the wash-out of proteins and biomolecules from the bone. In this case report, we describe the novel use of this drilling protocol in the preparation of bone alveolus during the procedure of tooth autotransplantation. Two cases with early tooth loss in the upper maxillary arch were treated by the autotransplantation of permanent teeth with immature root development and the use of plasma rich in growth factors. Autologous bone fragments (from drilling) were harvested and used for alveolar bone augmentation. The follow-up time was three and seven years since tooth autotransplantation. All the autotransplanted teeth achieved a closed apex with no signs of loss of vitality. Low-speed drilling without irrigation did not jeopardize the outcomes of tooth autotransplantation and warrants further investigation in the context of periodontal ligament healing.
Keywords: low-speed drilling; periodontal healing; prgf; root development; tooth autotransplantation; tooth vitality.
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