Acid-etch/composite resin restoration of fractured anterior teeth

Abstract

R epair of fractured incisal angles of anterior teeth has always been a difficult procedure, particularly when done for children. Retention and esthetics are problems and a variety of procedures have been proposed, none of them fulfilling the requirements of an ideal restoration. Thus, a more esthetic restoration, such as a complete veneer crown, involves radical tissue removal which jeopardizes the vitality of the young pulp. Presently, there is no material capable of forming an adhesive bond with an untreated enamel surface under oral conditions. Several reports have indicated that satisfactory retention can be achieved after etching of the enamel surface.l-+’ Several modifications of this technique have been reported. 5-10 Different restorative materials have been applied to the etched area, among them filled and unfilled resins. Ward, Buonocore, and Woolridge I1 described the use of a restorative material in conjunction with a fissure sealant, which was polymerized by ultraviolet light. The resin functioned as a bonding medium between the tooth and the composite material, and these authors claimed that the result was increased retention of the restoration.12, I3 Barbakow and associates14 report a clinical study in which fractured incisal edges and other hypoplastic lesions were successfully restored with Restodent.? This investigation evaluated retention and the esthetic results of acid-etched Restodent restorations placed on fractured permanent anterior teeth.