Most Common Root Fractures in Teeth
Teeth fractures can happen for several reasons: very hard food, undue excessive force on the tooth, or even tooth weakening due to some cavities. Generally, when the breakage occurs in the crown, the problem can be solved with a fixed prosthesis or a restoration. But what about when the fracture happens at the root of the tooth? Is extraction the only viable option? To answer that question, we talked to dentist Max Ferreira. Check-out!
What is root fracture and what are its causes?
As the name suggests, a root fracture is a break in the root of the tooth. Also called a root fracture, it can have a variety of causes. According to dentist Max Ferreira, “the cases of root fracture (at the root) are related to dental trauma”. In addition to this cause, they also contribute to root fracture: Among the most common are:
- Bruxism (the act of grinding teeth involuntarily during sleep);
- Chewing hard foods;
- Infiltrations caused by cavities;
- Misplaced fixed prostheses;
- Root canal treatments.
There are different types of root fracture. Vertical fractures are the riskiest, as they creak from the root to the crown of the tooth, the external tip that sticks out of the gum. There is also the case of horizontally broken tooth root, when only part of the root presents the break. It is possible that the tooth does not break completely, this is the case with cracks, when there is only one crack in the tooth. This can be even more dangerous and painful, as it opens the tooth to bacteria that can infect the pulp of the tooth. Specific types of root fractures include:
- Oblique supragingival fracture
- Oblique subgingival fracture
- Vertical furcation fracture
- Vertical root fracture
- Vertical apical root fracture
What are the symptoms of a fractured tooth root?
Anyone who has a tooth with a broken root may experience pain when chewing, but that's not the only symptom. If there is infection of the dental pulp, it is possible that an abscess appears in the gum due to the accumulated pus. The tooth may also have mobility to the touch, gum swelling, pain when touching the gum region where the root is, and gum detachment at the site near the fracture.
How is the fractured root treated?
First, you need to diagnose the root fracture. Treatment will depend on the extent of the fracture, its position, which tooth is affected. For vertical fractures, it may be possible to use special cementum to close the root fracture, preventing it from growing further. But if the fracture goes all the way to the crown, the tooth will have to be removed.
Fractures in anterior teeth receive different treatments from posterior ones. In the first case, it is possible to try to immobilize the tooth with special wires wrapped in resin. Thus, the tooth would recover, like a broken bone that is immobilized. In the case of horizontal fractures that affect the tip of the root, it is possible to remove the affected part. If the fracture is closer to the gum line, exposing the affected part and trying to restore it with resin is a viable option. For posterior teeth, because they have a greater number of roots, removing the affected root is a treatment option, leaving the others to support the tooth. This procedure needs to be very well planned and executed, as the chances of going wrong are high.