Management of crown-root fracture of an incisor using a prefabricated metal post

Abstract

This case report presents the management and follow-up of a 12-year old boy who had sustained trauma to his upper anterior teeth. The tooth 21 had an oblique fracture just above the cemento-enamel junction running from buccal to the palatal aspect of the root extending upto mid radicular area. Such fractures pose difficulty to treat them because of loosening of fractured coronal fragment. Clinicians have used various techniques to repair such fractures. In this case the coronal fracture was temporarily stabilized using orthodontic wire. Wires are used for immobilizing mandibular fractures and splinting loosened teeth. Their use for repair of fractured teeth has been described here as it is a simple procedure and wires are quite freely available in the dental clinics. This reporting will add to the already available options for saving and restoring teeth sustaining traumatic injuries.
The wire was tightened circumferentially around the tooth at the cervical region. After thorough debridement and copious irrigation canal was filled. A prefabricated gold plated post was loaded with glass ionomer cement and inserted into the canal approximating the fragments close together. Subsequent to successful endodontic therapy, metal-ceramic crowns were provided as final restorations to the teeth. Clinical and radiographic examinations after 12 months revealed a perfect repair of the broken fragments with healthy peridontium.