Oral Surgery · single question
During extraction of tooth #17, the crown fractures at the gum line. What is the most appropriate next step?
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Correct answer: B. Section the root with a bur WITHOUT raising a flap as the initial approach
When a crown fractures at the gingival margin, the preferred initial approach is to section the root with a surgical bur to gain purchase without necessarily raising a flap first. A flap is raised only if the root fragment cannot be accessed or retrieved without one (deeply subcrestal, or near anatomical structures).
- A. ❌ A full flap is not always required initially — it is reserved for deeply subcrestal or complex cases.
- B. ✅ Section the root without flap first — the standard initial approach for a crown fracture at the gum line.
- C. ❌ Aborting is premature; an attempt to retrieve the root at the same appointment is appropriate.
- D. ❌ Leaving an infected root fragment is generally contraindicated.