After a traumatic injury to the upper central incisors of a 7-year-old patient, avulsion of tooth #9 and pulp exposure after crown fracture of tooth #8 were managed.
Methods
After immediate replacement of tooth #9 in its socket, teeth were splinted for 3 weeks. No endodontic treatment was performed on tooth #9, but pulp capping was performed with mineral trioxide aggregate (Pro Root MTA; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) on #8, and both teeth were restored with composite resin. The teeth were monitored every 3 months for 2 years.
Results
At 24 months, both teeth responded positively to electrometric tests and roots showed normal development, but an abnormal reduction in the size of the root canal space of tooth#8 was observed.
Conclusion
Based on these observations, we discuss odontoblast behavior in the context of the stage of dentinogenesis and the probable disturbance of regulation of the physiologic dentinogenic secretory processes in the pathologic situation.
Address requests for reprints to Dr Stéphane Simon, Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Orale Moléculaire, INSERM, UMR S 872, Escalier B, 15-21 rue de l'Ecole de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
ABSTRACT