A computational model to assess the effectiveness of adhesive materials in restoration of crown-root fractures

Abstract

Fragment reattachment for crown root fractures has become a routinely employed treatment modality with the advancements in adhesive dentistry. Among the majority of documented dental trauma cases, this specific fracture type is one of the most prevalent and difficult fracture kinds. Due to its complexity, these fracture kinds are often not computationally modelled. Moreover, there is a lack of literature to understand the effect of different adhesive materials, used to re-attach this particular fracture, on traumatic injuries. In our work, 3D models of the permanent maxillary central incisor tooth were developed using cone beam computed tomography image of a patient. This model was systematically modified to represent a prominent crown root fracture and subsequently re-attached computationally using three different adhesives. A biting force and a traumatic load were applied, and the induced stresses were studied across the healthy and treated tooth models and compared for three different adhesives used for re-attachment of fractured fragments. Tooth reattached with resin adhesive performed better in all the loading conditions that were considered in the study as compared to flowable composite and resin cement.