The Assessment of Longevity and Efficacy of Different Types of Splints Used in Periodontal Therapy: A Single Center Epidemiological Retrospective Study

Abstract

Splints are routinely used for occlusal force dissipation from the long axis of periodontally compromised teeth
towards adjacent healthy teeth. This process causes forces generated from traumatic occlusion to be separated
from underlying periodontium favouring regeneration of lost tissue. Splinting periodontally compromised
teeth together causes the redistribution and redirection of functional and parafunctional forces to bring them
within tolerance of the supporting tissue and to reduce mobility. However the common drawback of using
splints include the lifespan of the splint without periodic modifications. The present study tries to relate
the reduction of mobility in periodontitis cases from grade II to grade I using different splinting materials
and the lifespan of the same. The present study was a single centered retrospective university based design,
using patient records of Saveetha dental college, from 1st June 2019 till 1st March 2020 . The included
patients were individuals with generalised/ localised chronic periodontitis, who had undergone non surgical
periodontal therapy along with the use of provisional splints.The parameters assessed for two hundred and
fifty eight patients included in the present study was longevity/lifespan of splints and the reduction in the
degree of mobility. Our observations revealed that stainless steel wire composite splints were used 1.96 time
more frequently than mesh reinforced composite splints, reduced grade II mobility to grade I mobility in
teeth affected by periodontitis to a greater than composite resin wire mesh.(p<0.05). Within the limits of this
study splints were found to reduce mobility as an adjunct to periodontal therapy from grade II mobility to
grade I mobility while using stainless steel wire composite resin splints among age groups of 20-40 years
with a lifespan of 6 months 24% of the time .