Symptoms and Signs of Vertical Root Fracture
- Short duration pain on biting
- Sensitivity to temperature change
- Visibly evident fracture lines
- Transillumination may reveal unseen fractures
- Radiographic changes such as radiolucencies in the region of the fracture may be seen
Diagnosis of Vertical Root Fracture
- Vertical root fracture can be difficult to diagnose when the fracture line is not evident
- Use of cone-beam computerised tomography has been described for diagnosis
Regenerative Dentistry for Vertical Root Fracture
- Dentin can be regenerated with the use of lithium, which is available in foods like tomatoes and potatoes
- Odontoblast-like cells can be produced in response to damage or trauma in the pulp chamber
- Dentin regeneration offers potential for repairing vertical root fractures
References
- Kamburoğlu K, Murat S, Yüksel SP, Cebeci AR, Horasan S. Detection of vertical root fracture using cone-beam computerised tomography: an in vitro assessment. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010;109(2):e74-81. doi:10.1016/j.tripleo.2009.09.005. PMID20031454.
- Babb R, et al. Axin2-expressing cells differentiate into reparative odontoblasts via autocrine Wnt/β-catenin signaling in response to tooth damage. Scientific Reports. 2017;7(1):1-9. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03145-6. PMC5465208. PMID28596530.
External Links
- Classification: ICD-10: S02.5, ICD-9-CM: 521.81, 873.63, 873.73
Vertical root fractures are a type of fracture of a tooth. They can be characterised by an incomplete or complete fracture line that extends through the long axis of the root toward the apex. Vertical root fractures represent between 2 and 5 percent of crown/root fractures. The greatest incidence occurs in endodontically treated teeth, and in patients older than 40 years of age.
| Vertical root fracture | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Dentistry |
The occurrence of a complete vertical root fracture is often catastrophic for the individual tooth as tooth extraction is usually the only reasonable treatment.
Vertical root fracture is more likely where teeth have undergone extensive prior treatment. It is thought that excessive removal of dentine during procedures such as root canal treatment weakens the tooth. For this reason excessive canal shaping should be avoided. Fracturing may be caused by excessive forces placed on the tooth, such as during compaction of gutta-percha during the obturation phase of endodontics. Trauma can also cause crack formation.
