The impact of combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment on the recovery of masticatory function in patients with crown-root fractures of permanent maxillary anterior teeth

Objective: To explore the influence of combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment on the recovery of masticatory function in patients with crown-root fractures of permanent maxillary anterior teeth. Methodology: This retrospective analysis included clinical data of 118 patients with crown-root fractures of permanent maxillary anterior teeth admitted to Yulin First hospital from March 2020 to March 2024. Among them, 56 patients who received conventional restoration treatment were set as the control group, and 62 patients who received combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment were set as the study group. The treatment effects, oral-related indicators before and after treatment [gingival index (GI), periodontal probing depth (PPD), tooth mobility (TM)], bite force, masticatory efficiency, and subjective satisfaction were analyzed. Results: The total efficacy of the study group (95.16%) was higher than that of the control group (83.93%) (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of GI, PPD, and TM in both groups decreased compared to pre-treatment, and were considerably lower in the study group (P < 0.05). The excellent-good rate of bite force in the study group (93.55%) was higher than that in the control group (80.36%) (P < 0.05). Similarly, combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment was associated with a higher excellent-good rate of masticatory efficiency (93.55%) than that of the conventional restoration (78.57%) (P < 0.05). The subjective satisfaction in the study group (95.16%) was higher than that in the control group (82.14%) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment for crown-root fractures of permanent maxillary anterior teeth can effectively improve the oral condition, enhance the bite force and masticatory efficiency, with higher treatment effects and subjective satisfaction. This approach may represent a promising treatment option for patients with crown-root fractures of permanent maxillary anterior teeth, pending further validation through prospective and multicenter studies.