Association between longitudinal tooth fractures and visual detection methods in diagnosis

Area of Science:

• Dental diagnostics
• Tooth fracture analysis
• Epidemiology of dental conditions

Background:

• Longitudinal tooth fractures (LTFs) represent a significant clinical challenge in conservative dentistry.
• Understanding the age distribution and diagnostic methods for LTFs is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the age-specific distribution of various types of longitudinal tooth fractures (LTFs).
• To analyze the association between different visual detection methods and the specific types of LTFs identified.
• To provide insights into the prevalence and diagnostic approaches for LTFs in a dental hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 245 symptomatic teeth with LTFs was conducted between 2009 and 2014.
• Diagnostic methods included naked eye examination, dye staining, operating microscopy, transillumination, and periapical radiography.
• Fracture types were classified using the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) criteria, with diagnostic surgery for vertical root fractures.

Main Results:

• The majority of LTFs (71.8%) occurred in patients aged 40-69 years.
• Cracked teeth constituted the most frequent diagnosis (65.7%), with a mean age of 49.3 years.
• A significant association (p < 0.001) was found between the detection method and the type of LTF.

Conclusions:

• Cracked tooth is the predominant type of LTF, with peak occurrence around age 50.
• Fractured cusps show a peak incidence in patients around age 60.
• Transillumination emerged as a highly effective method for diagnosing cracked teeth.