A new surgical technique for preservation of endodontically treated teeth with coronally located vertical root fractures: a prospective case series.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to present a new surgical preservation technique for teeth with incomplete vertical root fracture.


METHODS
Seventeen patients with 1 endodontically treated maxillary anterior tooth in which an incomplete vertical root fracture involving only the buccal side was suspected underwent a flap elevation procedure to visualize the pattern of bone loss and assess the type of root fracture. If the preoperative diagnosis was confirmed, a groove following the fracture line was prepared using retro-tips driven by an ultrasonic device and sealed with mineral trioxide aggregate after filling of the bone defect with calcium sulfate.


RESULTS
A total of 10 vertical root fracture repair procedures were performed. At 12 months' follow-up, all cases showed clinical and radiographic success. After 33 months, 7 patients were available for a follow-up: 5 cases remained successful, and 2 teeth (lateral incisors) failed.


CONCLUSIONS
The present surgical approach for preservation of teeth with incomplete vertical root fracture demonstrated satisfactory results regarding clinical outcome.
Department of Odontology, Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Silvio
S
Taschieri
Aviad
A
Tamse
Massimo
M
Del Fabbro
Gabriele
G
Rosano
Igor
I
Tsesis
D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000601:surgery; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000293:injuries; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003481:Cuspid / Q000293:injuries; D003738:Dental Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries*; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D003738:Dental Cements; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010087:Oxides; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; D002133:Calcium Sulfate