Coronal fractures in posterior teeth.

Coronal fractures of posterior teeth are not rare in clinical practice. Most of the time they constitute a restorational problem for the clinician, since they usually end below the free gingival crest. Two hundred coronal fractures of posterior teeth were examined in this study, with respect to several factors. Some of the factors were the sex and age of the patient, type and location of the tooth, and vitality of the pulp. The results showed that frequency of fractures is not influenced by the sex or age of the patient, the type or location of the tooth, or the vitality of the pulp. Factors that significantly affect the appearance of a fracture include caries, restored surfaces, and tooth morphology. Lingual cusps fracture more often than buccal cusps, fractures ended more frequently above or at the gingival crest in teeth with vital pulps, and in nonvital teeth fractures ended more frequently below the crest. Conservative cavity designs for tooth restorations and conservative access to the root canals for endodontic treatment will decrease the frequency of tooth or restoration fracture.