Oral Surgery · single question
A patient with a horizontal root fracture near the CERVICAL THIRD of the root — what is the treatment?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Extraction with implant placement
- A. INCORRECT — Endodontic treatment with crown is appropriate for mid-third and apical-third root fractures where the coronal segment can be maintained. In the cervical third, the tooth is not restorable.
- B. INCORRECT — Reimplantation applies to avulsed (complete exarticulation) teeth, not root fractures.
- C. CORRECT — Horizontal root fractures in the CERVICAL THIRD have the poorest prognosis because the coronal fragment is very short and unsupportable. Extraction of the coronal fragment (and often the root) followed by implant placement is the standard treatment.
- D. INCORRECT — Splinting alone is used for mid-third root fractures to allow healing of the fracture with connective tissue or bone.