In vivo and in vitro diagnosis of cracked teeth: A review

Dentinal microcracks are a diagnostic challenge, which determines the longevity of the tooth structure. A few etiological factors of dentinal microcracks are traumatic occlusion in aging teeth and also the effect of rotary files, heavy spreader pressure during condensation, and post-placement during root canal treatment. This article describes the various in vivo and in vitro diagnostic aids and describes in detail various recent methods used for the detection of microcracks in vitro with special emphasis on micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Micro-CT has wide applications in medical imaging. Micro-tomography scanners offer isotropic resolution, and therefore three-dimensional images can be displayed. Also, micro-CT is very precise, has remarkable space resolution, and requires a shorter capture time than cone beam computed tomography.