Diagnosis of root fractures using cone-beam computed tomography: difference of vertical and horizontal root fracture

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of vertical and horizontal root fractures using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

We reviewed the CBCT images of 51 patients who were examined by CBCT for the diagnosis of root fracture. The occurrences of vertical and horizontal root fractures were investigated concerning the pulpal vitality and the kind of tooth, and analyzed by cross-tabulation. The fracture direction of vertical root fracture and the fracture angle were also investigated, and analyzed by cross-tabulation and Kruskal-Wallis test, respectively.

The occurrence of vertical and horizontal root fractures was statistically significantly different between vital tooth and non-vital tooth (p = 0.044). The occurrence of vertical and horizontal root fractures was also different among anterior, premolar, and molar teeth (p = 0.004). The kind of tooth on traumatized tooth was only anterior teeth and the number was larger on horizontal root fracture. The occurrence of vertical and horizontal root fractures on non-traumatized tooth was different among the kind of tooth (p = 0.007), and the number of vertical root fracture was larger than that of horizontal root fracture on premolar teeth. Fracture direction was not different, but the fracture angle was different among the kind of tooth on vertical root fracture (p = 0.027).

The results suggested that the number of vertical root fracture was larger on non-vital tooth and that of horizontal root fracture was larger on vital tooth. The number of vertical root fracture was larger on premolar teeth.