A review of root fractures: diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Tooth fractures (crown or root fractures) are commonly encountered emergencies in a dental clinic. Root fractures are defined as fractures involving the dentine, cementum and pulp. They are broadly classified as horizontal and vertical root fractures. They may be clinically challenging cases to treat as, usually, treatment of such cases requires an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary approach for complete rehabilitation of teeth. For a successful outcome, it is imperative to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis and design a treatment plan accordingly as soon as possible.This review article discusses the various types of root fractures, their diagnosis and treatment, along with the factors affecting their healing and prognosis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Treatment of root fractures depends on a number of factors such as, position of fracture line, mobility of tooth and pulpal status. Thus clinicians must have thorough knowledge and adequate clinical experience to treat them properly.