Periodontal splinting is a procedure whereby teeth that are mobile are connected to each other to improve their stability and comfort during jaw closure, biting, and chewing. By splinting teeth that have weakened support, the prognosis for maintaining these teeth in the mouth is better. The added stability provided by periodontal splinting also promotes optimal results with tissue regeneration procedures.
Cases that may require periodontal splinting include, teeth whose support has been compromised by periodontal disease or trauma. When multiple teeth are splinted together the biting force can be sustained by the entire joined unit, rather than the individual teeth. Periodontal splints can be fabricated in a number of ways, including placing composite resin to secure a section of a reinforced ribbon applied to the involved teeth.
