Fractured root tips during dental extractions and retained root fragments. A clinical dilemma?

Root tip fracture can occur during the extraction of teeth. The clinician must then decide to either leave the root fragment in situ, or to attempt its removal. A similar decision is made when retained root fragments are found incidentally on oral radiographs. The prevalence of retained root fragments is reported as 11-37%. This article aims to highlight the risk benefit matrix of the removal or retention of retained root fragments, in light of the present evidence base.