Aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the resistance to fracture of vertically fractured and reattached fragments bonded with fiber-reinforced composites.

Root canals of 45 teeth were prepared, and the teeth were intentionally fractured into two separate fragments. Control groups (n = 15 each) consisted unfractured teeth with instrumented and obturated. Fractured teeth were divided into three groups (n = 15) and were attached using (1) dual-cure resin cement (RelyX U100), (2) dual-cure resin cement and polyethylene fiber (Ribbond), (3) dual-cure resin cement and glass fibers (stick-net). Force was applied at a speed of 0.5 mm/min to the root until fracture.

Group 1 (RelyX U100 group) demonstrated lowest fracture resistance. Group 4 (control group) showed highest fracture resistance followed by group 2 (Ribbond group) and group 3 (Stick-Net groups). Statistically no significant difference was there between groups 2, 3 and 4.

Vertically fractured teeth can be treated by filling the root canal space with dual-cure adhesive resin cement or by adding polyethylene fiber or glass fiber to increase the fracture resistance of the reattached tooth fragments, an alternative to extraction.

Kumar BS, Spoorti P, Reddy J, Bhandi S, Gopal SS, Ittigi J. Evaluation of Fracture Resistance of Reattached Vertical Fragments Bonded with Fiber-reinforced Composites: An in vitro Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2013;14(4):573-577.