Abstract
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics, distribution, and associated
factors of longitudinal fractured teeth according to the well-defined criteria of
the American Association of Endodontists (AAE).
Methods
One hundred seven teeth with longitudinal fracture from 103 patients were diagnosed
and analyzed. The patients’ signs, symptoms, age, and sex were noted as well as the
tooth number, dental arch, filling materials, size/classification of restoration,
crack direction, pulp vitality, whether the patient had undergone endodontic treatment,
bite test results, percussion test results, wear facet, and periodontal pocket depth.
Results
Eighty-seven teeth were diagnosed with a cracked tooth (81.3%), 14 were diagnosed
with vertical root fracture (VRF, 13.1%), 4 had a split tooth (3.7%), and 2 had a
fractured cusp (1.9%); 82.2% showed a sensitive reaction on the bite test. Longitudinal
tooth fractures were observed most frequently in patient in their 40s. The upper first
molar (28.0%) was most frequently cracked, followed by the lower first molar (25.2%),
the lower second molar (20.6%), and the upper second molar (16.8%). Most longitudinal
tooth fractures (72.0%) occurred mainly in restored teeth, whereas only 28.0% were
found in intact teeth. Compared with resin (4.7%) or porcelain (0.9%), the use of
nonbonded inlay restoration materials such as gold (20.5%) or amalgam (18.7%) increased
the occurrence of longitudinal tooth fractures. Out of 107 of longitudinal fractured
teeth, 33 (30.8%) were treated endodontically and 74 (69.2%) were not. VRF was associated
with endodontic treatment.
Conclusions
The bite test is most reliable for reproducing symptoms. The combined use of various
examination methods is recommended for detecting cracks and minutely inspecting all
directions of a tooth.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 09, 2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
