Case Series: Root healing with MTA after horizontal fracture

BACKGOUND: Root fractures in permanent teeth are uncommon injuries and represent complex healing patterns. Fractures occur most often in the middle third of a root and rarely at the apical third. CASE REPORTS: Case 1: A 10-year old boy attended the Dept. Paediatric Dentistry Clinic (Istanbul University) after an accident at school 4 hrs earlier. Clinically there was a swollen upper lip, pain on the periapical region of the tooth and horizontal root fractures in the middle third of both roots of teeth 11 and 21 were noted on periapical radiography. Case 2: An 8-year old boy was involved in a bicycle accident 3 months prior to attending. A maxillary splint was present on incisor 11. Clinically an enamel-dentine crown fracture and radiographically a horizontal mid-third root fracture, were seen. Case 3: An 11-year old boy attended after a bicycle accident 1 month before, involving tooth 21. Clinically there was mobility, slight discolouration and radiographically a horizontal mid-third root. TREATMENT: In all cases only the coronal segment of roots were treated and MTA was placed as a fracture line plug. FOLLOW-UP: At 36 months follow up all teeth were asymptomatic and clinical and radiographic investigation of the teeth revealed excellent healing patterns. CONCLUSION: MTA can be considered as a good choice for a definitive root filling material in horizontal tooth root fractures with excellent biological and physical properties.