Evaluation of crack lines in traumatized maxillary permanent anterior teeth using different methods

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate crack lines in traumatized maxillary permanent anterior teeth using various methods. The objective was to compare the effectiveness of visual examination, loupe, transillumination, and camera methods in detecting cracks. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted between 01.08.2023 and 01.04.2024 at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Ordu University, Turkey. It involved 39 pediatric patients aged 7-14 years who presented with dental trauma to their maxillary permanent anterior teeth. The teeth were evaluated by two experienced observers using visual examination, loupe, transillumination, and camera methods. The number and direction (horizontal, oblique, vertical) of the detected cracks were recorded. Frequency analysis, Chi-square and Fisher's tests for the statistical analysis of the distribution of crack detection methods. Cohen's Kappa analysis was employed to assess inter-observer and intra-observer reliability, with a 95% confidence interval set for all statistical analyses. Results: The study found that the transillumination method detected 32% of the total cracks, ranking first, followed by the dental loupe at 26%, visual examination at 22%, and the camera method at 20%, which detected fewer cracks compared to other methods. An analysis of fracture types revealed that oblique fractures were the most prevalent, accounting for 50% of all cases. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the transillumination method is the most sensitive in detecting crack lines in traumatized teeth. These findings could contribute to the early and accurate diagnosis of dental trauma cases, thereby improving treatment outcomes. Keywords: Cracked tooth, dental loupe, dental trauma, camera, transillumination