Pulp response to traumatic crown fractures

Amongst all dental traumas in the permanent dentition, crown fractures account for the largest majority. This review paper will discuss the different levels of fracture, from the most superficial ones only affecting the enamel to the deepest ones with pulp exposure, including crown–root fractures. It will focus on the pulp by evaluating the pulp response to trauma and to the subsequent treatment. An attempt to correlate epidemiological, experimental, histopathological, and clinical studies will be made, so that the clinician can better understand the underlying processes which evolve towards pulp healing or pulp necrosis, thus success or failure. If handled properly, prognosis of the pulp following a traumatic crown fracture is good. In the permanent dentition, success rate ranges between 72% and 100%, the highest success rate corresponding to superficial fractures and the lowest success rate to fractures with pulp exposure.