Uncommon crown-root fracture treated with adhesive tooth fragment reattachment: 7 years of follow-up

Abstract

Crown-root fractures account for 5% of all fractures in permanent teeth and can involve enamel, dentin, and cementum. Depending on whether there is pulpal involvement, these problems may be classified as complicated (which are more common) or noncomplicated. The treatment depends on the level of the fracture line, root length and/or morphology, and esthetic needs. Several treatment strategies are available for esthetic and functional rehabilitation in crown-root fractures. Adhesive tooth fragment reattachment is the most conservative restorative option when the tooth fragment is available and the biological width has no or minimal violation. This article reports a case of an uncomplicated crown-root fracture in the permanent maxillary right central incisor of a young patient who received treatment with adhesive tooth fragment reattachment, preserving the anatomic characteristics of the fractured tooth after periodontal intervention. The fracture line of the fragment had an unusual shape, starting on the palatal side and extending to the buccal side subgingivally. After 7 years, the attached coronal fragment remained in position with good esthetics, as well as clinical and radiographic signs of pulpal vitality, periodontal health, and root integrity, thus indicating success.