Multidisciplinary approach to the rehabilitation of a tooth with two trauma episodes: systematic review and report of a case

Abstract

Studies have shown that some children and adolescents are affected only once with dental trauma, while others seem to be accident-prone and suffer from multiple dental trauma episodes. Less is known about treatment consequences related to repeated traumatic dental injuries to the same tooth and treatment guidelines are not well established. Complicated crown fractures and crown-root fractures pose difficulties for dentists to establish adequate treatment plans because these fractures require multidisciplinary knowledge and approach for a correct case planning and prognosis. The objective of this paper was to present and discuss a case of a child who sustained a second trauma to the same tooth following treatment of an earlier sustained crown fracture. The research-based background for establishment of the treatment plan is discussed. Reattachment of tooth fragment is a minimal invasive and esthetic method. Essential advantage of the reattached teeth is the fact that all the alternative methods as direct adhesive resin reconstruction, veneers and crowns can be performed in case of failure or a refracture. As a consequence of initial trauma, the tooth suffered a complicated crown fracture which was resolved by endodontic therapy and fragment reattachment. During follow-up, the child suffered a second trauma resulting in dislodgement and fracture of the reattached fragment and a crown-root fracture extending subgingivally with involvement of the biologic width. A conservative restorative option is described. After 1 year of follow-up, the clinical and radiographic findings demonstrated that the adopted clinical protocol was successful and yielded healthy periodontal tissues with no signs of periradicular pathosis. The occurrence of repeated traumatic dental injuries to teeth involving conservative management of both crown-root fracture and complicated crown fracture on the same tooth is extremely rare and a challenge for dental professionals to treat.