Healing of 208 intraalveolar root fractures in patients aged 7-17 years

This retrospective study consisted of 208 root-fractured, 168 splinted and 40 not splinted incisors in young individuals ja,oed 7-17 years) created in the period 1959-1973 at the Pedodontic Department. Eastman Institute, Stoc kholm. Clinical and radiographic analyses showed that 69 teeth (33%) had de veloped hard tissue (fusion) healing of, fragments. Interposition of period ontal ligament (PDL) and bone between the fragments was found in 17 teeth ( 8%). Interposition of PBL, alone was found in 74 teeth (36%). Finally non-h ealing with pulp necrosis and inflammatory: changes between fragments was s een in 48 teeth (23%), Various clinical factors were analyzed for their rel ationship to the healing outcome with respect to healing/no healing and typ e of healing (hard tissue versus interposition of bone and/or PDL). Immatur e root and positive pulp sensitivity at time of injury was found to be sign ificantly related to both pulp healing and hard tissue repair of the fractu re. The same applied to concussion or subluxation of the coronal fragment c ompared to luxation with displacement (extrusive or lateral luxation). This relation was also represented by the variable millimeter diastasis between fragments before and after repositioning. Repositioning appeared to enhanc e the likelihood of both pulp healing and hard tissue repair. A positive ef fect of splinting, splinting methods (cap splints or orthodontic bands with an arch wire) or splinting periods could not be demonstrated on either pul p healing or type of healing (hard tissue versus interposition of bone and/ or PDL). In conclusion, the findings from this retrospective study have cas t doubts an the efficacy of long-term splinting and the types of splint use d for root fracture healing. It is suggested that the role of splinting and splinting methods be examined in further studies.