By: Victor M. Sternberg, D.M.D. 

March 15, 2023 

A number of years ago I shared with many of you a hopeless lower lateral incisor, ironically in the dentition of a dentist. 

As you can see from the radiographs and from the photographs, the tooth has minimal bone remaining  on the distal and distal buccal aspect of the tooth. Fortunately mobility was not significant. The dentist  understood the limitations and unpredictability of a procedure such as a bone graft, but elected to have  it performed. 

As you can see from the selected pictures the area was grafted with an Allograft combined with plasma  derived growth factor and Emdogain and covered with a collagen membrane. 

ONE YEAR LATER

Photographs today, 12 years later, show complete regeneration at least in terms of radiographically as  well the inability to probe the distal aspect of this tooth.

12 YEARS LATER 

Predictability of defects of this nature are certainly questionable, however, it does show the repair  potential of a purely periodontal defect on a single rooted tooth. 

It appeared on the original radiograph that this might be endodontic or might be due to a fracture but  neither was noted. 

The fact that it completely repaired rules out those other two possibilities. 

The removal of this tooth would have presented a challenge restoratively since it would have been  difficult to build a buccal plate back once the tooth was out making an implant challenging both clinically  and aesthetically. 

As always I appreciate your feedback. 

Yours truly, 

Dr. Victor M. Sternberg, D.M.D.

By Westchester Center for Periodontal & Implant Excellence

March 20, 2023