Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Prevalence of vertical root fracture as the reason for tooth extraction in dental clinics

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Clinical Oral Investigations Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, by gender, of vertical root fracture (VRF) as the main reason for the extraction of permanent teeth in dental clinics in Tokyo.

Materials and methods

Participating dentists were requested to provide information about extractions of permanent teeth they had performed from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2013. The main reasons for extraction were categorized as follows: VRF, caries (horizontal root fracture included), periodontal disease and others.

Results

At a total of 24 clinics, 736 teeth were extracted from 626 patients during the 6-month period. A total of 233 teeth were extracted by VRF (31.7 %), and 93.6 % of these were endodontically treated teeth. Among non-vital extracted teeth, 82.1 % (179/218) had cast posts or screw posts. The percentage of extraction due to VRF was 29.4 % in males and 34.7 % in females. In females, the percentage of extractions due to VRF (34.7 %) was higher than for periodontal disease (28.1 %). In males, the percentage of extractions due to VRF increased with age (p < 0.05). The tooth types with the highest percentage of extractions due to VRF were the upper canine (46.7 %), lower second premolar (48.0 %) and lower first molar (50.0 %) in males and the upper first premolar (43.3 %), upper second premolar (44.4 %), lower second premolar (53.8 %) and lower first molar (54.5 %) in females.

Conclusions

These results indicate that we need to pay more attention to maintaining vital teeth while being aware of the particular tooth types in which VRF most frequently occurs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Takeuchi N, Yamamoto T, Tomofuji T, Murakami C (2009) A retrospective study on the prognosis of teeth with root fracture in patients during the maintenance phase of periodontal therapy. Dent Traumatol 25:332–337

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Morfis AS (1990) Vertical root fracture. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 69:631–635

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Vire DE (1991) Failure of endodontically treated teeth: classification and evaluation. J Endo 17:338–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Fuss Z, Lustig J, Tamse A (1999) Prevalence of vertical root fractures in extracted endodontically treated teeth. Int Endo J 32:283–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chrysanthakopoulos NA (2011) Reasons for extraction of permanent teeth in Greece: a five-year follow-up study. Int Dent J. 2011;61:19–24.

  6. Aida J, Ando Y, Akhter R, Aoyama H, Masui M, Morita M (2006) Reasons for permanent tooth extractions in Japan. J Epidemiol 16:214–219

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rivera E, Walton RE (2009) Longitudinal tooth fractures: findings that contribute to complex endodontic diagnoses. Endod Topics 16:82–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Report of Dental Health in Tokyo 2007. Department of Welfare and Health Service Bureau, Tokyo Metropolitan. Tokyo. (in Japanese)

  9. The Statistical Analysis Committee on the Survey of Dental Diseases. Comprehensive guide to the survey of dental diseases 2011 (2013). Tokyo: Oral Health Association. (in Japanese)

  10. Malhotra N, Kundabala M, Acharaya S (2011) A review of root fractures: diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Dent Update 38:615–628

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Shibuya K, Hashimoto H, Ikegami N, Nishi A, Tanimoto T, Miyata H, Takemi K, Reich MR (2011) Future of Japan’s system of good health at low cost with equity: beyond universal coverage. Lancet 378:1265–1273

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Tsuneishi M, Yamamoto T, Yamanaka R, Tamaki N, Sakamoto T, Tsuji K, Watanabe T (2005) Radiographic evaluation of periapical status and prevalence of endodontic treatment in an adult Japanese population. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 100:631–635

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chan CP, Lin CP, Tseng SC, Jeng JH (1999) Vertical root fracture in endodontically versus non-endodontically treated teeth: a survey of 315 cases in Chinese patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 87:504–507

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Llena-Puy MC, Forner-Navarro L, Barbero-Nvarro I (2001) Vertical root fracture in endodontically treated teeth: a review of 25 cases. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 92:553–555

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Testori T, Badino M, Castagnola M (1993) Vertical root fractures in endodontically treated teeth: a clinical survey of 36 cases. J Endod 19:87–91

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Meister F Jr, Lommel TJ, Gerstein H (1980) Diagnosis and possible causes of vertical root fractures. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 49:243–253

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Axelsson P, Nyström B, Lindhe J (2004) The long-term effect of a plaque control program on tooth mortality, caries and periodontal disease in adults. J Clin Periodontol 31:749–757

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Chambrone LA, Chambrone L (2006) Tooth loss in well-maintained patients with chronic periodontitis during long-term supportive therapy in Brazil. J Clin Periodontol 33:759–764

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Carnevale G, Cairo F, Tonetti MS (2007) Long-term effects of supportive therapy in periodontal patients treated with fibre retention osseous resective surgery tooth extractions during active and supportive therapy. J Clin Periodontol 34:342–348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their appreciation to the dentists, members of a clinical research organization called, “Kyushikai” (meaning literally, “tooth-saving organization”), who participated in this study by providing valuable data from their clinics. This research was carried out without funding.

Conflict of interest

The authors reported no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Koichi Yoshino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yoshino, K., Ito, K., Kuroda, M. et al. Prevalence of vertical root fracture as the reason for tooth extraction in dental clinics. Clin Oral Invest 19, 1405–1409 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-014-1357-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-014-1357-4

Keywords

Navigation