Traumatic dental injuries to primary teeth may adversely affect the development and eruption of permanent successors. This case report presents a rare example of spontaneous eruption of a permanent maxillary central incisor following avulsion of its primary predecessor. A 5-year-old girl experienced avulsion of the primary maxillary left central incisor, and delayed eruption of the permanent successor was noted at 8 years of age. Clinical and radiographic assessment revealed an unerupted permanent maxillary central incisor positioned high in the anterior maxilla near the nasal floor, without an obstructive etiology. Owing to the potential morbidity of surgical intervention, a conservative approach involving space maintenance and long-term follow-up was adopted. Despite a prolonged period of non-eruption, spontaneous eruption occurred. At the 10-year follow-up, the tooth remained vital, asymptomatic, and free of periapical pathology, and esthetic rehabilitation was successfully completed. This case highlights that spontaneous eruption may be possible even in initially unfavorable positions, underscoring the importance of individualized treatment planning.
Akyildiz et al. (Fri,) studied this question.