Most Common Root Fractures in Teeth
A tooth root fracture can occur and not display any symptoms or it may immediately cause pain and swelling. There are a number of reasons that a root may fracture and identifying the cause is an important part of successful treatment. A root may fracture due to injury, grinding the teeth, poor oral hygiene, old dental restorations, or even age.
Our teeth are made up of different parts: the enamel, the dentin, and the pulp. The pulp houses the tissue that supplies the blood flow and nerves within each tooth and is the part of the tooth that causes a lot of pain when it becomes infected. The pulp is in the roots of our teeth and in the event that a tooth suffers a root fracture, the pulp become susceptible to bacteria and infection. Left untreated, a root fracture can quickly lead to an abscessed tooth.
Causes of Tooth Root Fracture
The most common cause of a root fracture is trauma to a tooth. This can occur during a fall, physical activities, or in a car accident. You can also occur when you chew on abnormally hard foods such as a popcorn kernel or ice or when using your teeth as tools to open a package or something else.
Dental decay can weaken the tooth and leave it susceptible to fracture which is why regular dental check ups are so important. If you suffer a root fracture and are unaware, your dentist will be able to identify it during your exam with dental x-rays. Depending on the type and severity of the fracture, your dentist may refer you to a specialist to have a root canal or an extraction.
Types of Root Fracture
The specialist will identify the type of root fracture that your tooth has endured using your x-rays and other diagnostic tests. There are a few different types of root fractures including:
- Oblique supragingival fracture
- Oblique sub gingival fracture
- Vertical root fracture
- Vertical apical root fracture
- Vertical furcation fracture
Treating a Root Fracture
The goal of your dentist and any specialist that you see will be to save the tooth so that you keep as many natural teeth as possible. A root canal is typically the first treatment that is tried which will get the patient out of pain and clear any infection.
During a root canal, an endodontist will drill a small access hole in the affected tooth and clean out the dental pulp from within each canal of the root. This effectively removes the nerves and tissues from the tooth so that any pain and infection within the tooth is eradicated. After a root canal, most teeth need to be treated with a dental crown to save the integrity of the tooth. Without blood flow, the tooth will become brittle overtime so a dental crown will keep it from tripping or breaking in the future.
If a root canal is not appropriate, an oral surgeon will extract the tooth and prepare the area for a dental implant or a dental bridge, whichever the patient prefers. Your dentist will send you to the specialist that will give you the best outcome!