Dental Splinting

Dental Splinting is defined as the joining of two or more than two teeth in a non-movable unit by mean of some fixed restorations most commonly used is Composite restoration or this can be attached by some removable devices. Dental Splinting has got its main use in the immobilization of injured teeth but some parts of the mouth can also be immobilized with the help of same.

Critical Aspects for Dental Splinting

• This creates an environment around the teeth where the food and bacteria assembles down very quickly and thus more is the plaque formation in that area.

• Since functional movement of the teeth that has undergone Dental Splinting is up to 0%, there are more chances of having ankylosis of the respective teeth in which the teeth get attached to the bony part or fibrous part underneath.

Beneficial Aspect of Dental Splinting

• Since the mobile teeth get splintered to the near by healthy teeth, mobility during the time of performing functions like mastication get prevented.

• Non mobile teeth have the capacity to heal faster than the mobile one and this is the basic principle of Dental Splinting.

Types of Dental Splinting

1. According to period of stabilization

• Temporary Stabilization
These are the one that are worn by the patient for less than 6 months and the examples are removable and fixed appliances.

• Provisional Stabilization
These are the one that has to be worn by the patient for months and this time period may increase up to several years. The examples are acrylic splints, metal bands.

• Permanent Splints
These are used by the patient for indefinite period of time and these can be removable or fixed depending upon the conditions.

2. According to type of material

• Bonded, composite resin button splint.
• Braided wire splint.
• A-splint.

Principles of Dental Splinting

There should be inclusion of sufficient number of healthy teeth in the procedure of Dental Splinting so as to provide the proper support. In the anterior teeth there is less surface area of the teeth as compared to the posterior ones so less number of healthy teeth in the posterior segment can be used for Dental Splinting.

Dental Splinting should be done on the way that the forces while performing normal functions don’t let it to be loose down.

Traumatic occlusion should be relieved down before going with the procedure of Dental Splinting.

Take care that the splints should be aesthetically acceptable and should not interfere with the other functions of oral cavity.

Dental Splinting is also used as a emergency treatment for the teeth that get loose by some trauma due to any sort of accident.