Clinical evaluation of effects of crown lengthening and gingivectomy on maxillary anterior tooth crown fracture

AIM: To evaluate the clinical effects of crown lengthening and gingivectomy on complicated maxillary anterior tooth crown fracture with the fracture below the gumline.METHODS: One hundred and sixty fractured teeth from 120 patients were included in this study.According to the distance between the fracture and the gumline,the teeth were divided into 2 group,the shallow defect group(2.5 mm)(Group S) and the deep defect group(between 2.5 mm and 4mm)(Group D).Each group was further divided randomly into crown lengthening and gingivectomy groups.Probing Depth(PD),gingival sulcus bleeding index(SBI) and tooth mobility(TM) were measured preoperatively and at 2 weeks and 6 months postoperation.RESULTS: In S group,PD and SBI significantly decreased after both crown lengthening and gingivectomy(P0.05),whereas TM increased.There was no significant difference between PD and SBI in crown lengthening and gingivectomy groups(P0.05).In D group,PD and SBI greatly reduced 2 weeks postoperatively(P0.05).However,at 6 months postoperation the PD and SBI were markedly higher in gingivectomy group as compared with post-2 week parameters(P0.05),while in crown lengthening group that remained almost the same as that of 2 weeks postoperation.TM time-dependently increased in both groups.CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that gingivectomy could be used for cases with tooth fracture above the gumline and crown lengthening might be more suitable for cases with tooth fracture under the gumline.