Dental trauma-Splinting

Splinting of teeth that have undergone physical trauma allows the periodontal ligament to undergo repair without the trauma of mobile teeth. It is necessary in mobile and displaced teeth i.e Subluxation (in some cases), Lateral luxation, intrusion, extrusion, avulsion, horizontal root fractures, alveolar bone fractures. An easy way to remember splinting times is that hard tissue injuries (Root fracture, lateral luxation (damage to bone), alveolar bone fractures) will require 4 weeks of splinting. An exception is cervical 1/3 root fractures which will require 4 months of splinting. Non-crushing injuries (avulsion, extrusion) are actually less damaging to the periodontal ligament and so will require up to 2 weeks of splinting to allow repair. Intrusion depends on the treatment provided. In very young teeth with minimal intrusion, spontaneous reeruption may occur that will not require splinting. Orthodontinc repositioning and surgical repositioning will require splinting times (4 weeks)