Efficacy of Palatal Applications on Fracture Resistance of Reattached Maxillary Central Incisors: An In Vitro Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different palatal applications on fracture strength of the fractured anterior tooth. Sixty caries-free human maxillary incisors were used. Endodontic treatments of the teeth were performed. Then, the teeth were divided randomly into five groups (n = 12). Crowns of all teeth in groups A-D were cut with diamond discs at a fixed distance of 3 mm from the incisal margin in a plane normal to the buccal surface. In all groups, coronal fragments were reattached to the remaining teeth by bonding with hybrid composite resin. After then, the teeth were restored to the following; group A, bonding and palatal laminate; group B, bonding and creation of a vertical groove; group C, bonding and creation of two slot grooves; group D, bonding only; and group E, intact tooth. It was lesser in group B than in groups C and E (p = 0.007 and p = 0.006, resp.) and lesser in group D than in groups A, C, and E (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, resp.). Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it can be concluded that methods employing palatinal laminate and small grooves are clinically feasible for the reattachment of tooth fragments to incisors.