DONALD H. DOWNS, DDS
“Cracked Teeth: A Retrospective Analysis”
Dental histories of five patients, treated in one office for their entire adult lives, are analyzed relative to teeth that eventually cracked. The treatment history of each tooth (up to 60 years follow-up), prior to and after crack diagnosis, is considered in detail. Retrospective observational evidence indicates that visual magnification, transillumination, early diagnosis, and subsequent occlusal coverage should be routine management components to prevent fatal outcomes.
Attendees will learn:
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Dentine cracks interfere with light transmission, enamel cracks do not.
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Progressive routine recall interpretation of suspicious cracks is essential for early diagnosis.
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Restoration with occlusal surface entrapment can prevent fatal outcomes.
DISCLOSURE: Dr. Downs has no relevant financial relationships to disclose