HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 134, No 4, 434-441. © 2003 American Dental Association

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by COHEN, S. Articles by BERMAN, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by COHEN, S. Articles by BERMAN, L. Related Collections Imaging

COVER STORY
JADA Continuing Education

Clinical and radiographic diagnosis

Background. Early detection and management of vertical root fractures, or VRFs, remain a vexing issue that has caused needless suffering for patients as well as for dentists. The authors present techniques to aid the dentist in recognizing VRFs.

Methods. During a five-year period, the authors examined 36 patients who had VRFs. Absent control subjects and a larger number of patients, the authors did not design this investigation for statistical analysis. They diagnosed VRFs through dental histories and clinical and radiographic examinations.

Results. The study revealed VRFs in 36 teeth, two of which were vital and 34 of which were nonvital (that is, endodontically treated). The 34 VRFs resulted from excessive operative procedures performed in the root canal after endodontic therapy. Thirty-one of these 34 VRFs were caused by poorly designed dowels (too long, too wide or both) or inappropriate selection of the tooth as a bridge abutment; two VRFs were caused by a restoration that exerted lateral pressure on the axial walls of the preparation; and one VRF was caused by overzealous endodontic forces. The VRFs in the two vital teeth were in men who had a history of bruxism or clenching.

Conclusions and Clinical Implications. VRFs can be detected early by listening to the patient’s chief complaints, carefully examining periapical and bitewing radiographs and performing a thorough clinical examination.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Culjat, R. Singh, E. Brown, R. Neurgaonkar, D. Yoon, and S. White Ultrasound crack detection in a simulated human tooth Dentomaxillofac. Radiol., March 1, 2005; 34(2): 80 - 85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]