RESEARCH ARTICLE
Alveolar Bone Fracture: Pathognomonic Sign for Clinical Diagnosis
Zvi Gutmacher1, Eli Peled2, 3, Doron Norman2, 3, Shaul Lin3, 4, *
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2017Volume: 11
First Page: 8
Last Page: 14
Publisher ID: TODENTJ-11-8
DOI: 10.2174/1874210601711010008
Article History:
Received Date: 23/08/2016Revision Received Date: 28/12/2016
Acceptance Date: 08/01/2017
Electronic publication date: 31/01/2017
Collection year: 2017

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode), which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
Aim:
Dental injuries, especially luxation and avulsion, are common. Dental trauma can cause alveolar bone fracture that can lead to tooth loss and malocclusion. Single tooth alveolar bone fractures are difficult to identify unless it protrudes through the overlying mucosa and can be visualized. Pain, malocclusion, and tooth mobility provide signs of suspected alveolar bone fractures. Integrity of the proximate alveolar bone should be examined for fractures where avulsion, luxation, or other tooth trauma is detected. Any suggestion of alveolar fractures should be further investigated with an appropriate radiograph.
Summary:
This case report shows a pathognomonic sign that detects and diagnosis single tooth alveolar bone fractures, i.e., a localized hematoma crossing the attached gingiva from the free gingival margin to the vestibular mucosa. This should serve as a warning for localized alveolar bone fracture.
A visualized hematoma and gentle, careful palpation may help detect covered fractures when the overlying mucosa is not perforated.