Cemental tear: a case report with nonsurgical periodontal therapy

purpose: to report a case of cemental tear, a rare periodontal condition characterized by total or partial separation of the dental cementum, mainly addressing issues related to its diagnosis and treatment. case description: a 50 years-old man sought dental assistance complaining of pain located in the mandibular left second premolar that showed a 4 mm probing depth with the presence of a foreign body in the distal gingival sulcus. radiographic examination demonstrated a slight radiopaque fragment detached from the root. the fragment was removed without a periodontal flap. histopathological examination was performed and evidenced the presence of a cementum fragment with cementum lamellae, cementocytes, and adhered periodontal ligament fibers, confirming the diagnosis of cemental tear. conclusion: after a follow-up of 2 years, the nonsurgical periodontal therapy showed satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcome. therefore, this approach should be a suitable and predictable treatment modality for the cemental tear.