Reduction and fixation of jaw fractures using acrylic splints

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Dental Materials Science

Background:

• Maxillofacial fractures require effective treatment to restore function and aesthetics.
• Acrylic splints are utilized as intraoral devices for managing dental occlusion during fracture healing.
• Standardized criteria for selecting appropriate acrylic splint types are crucial for successful outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish criteria for the application of different acrylic splint types in treating maxillofacial fractures.
• To correlate splint type selection with the number of remaining teeth and fracture characteristics.
• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of these criteria in a patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Classification of acrylic splints into intermaxillary, lingual, labiolingual, and cap types.
• Development of application criteria based on the number of remaining teeth and the need for occlusion restoration.
• Retrospective analysis of clinical application in 60 patients with maxillofacial fractures.

Main Results:

• Intermaxillary splints are indicated for multiple tooth loss.
• Lingual splints are recommended for predicted bone fragment intraversion.
• Labiolingual and cap splints are suitable for deciduous or mixed dentition cases.
• Successful clinical outcomes were achieved in 60 treated patients using the proposed criteria.

Conclusions:

• The proposed criteria provide a standardized approach for selecting acrylic splints in maxillofacial fracture management.
• Appropriate splint selection based on dentition and fracture patterns leads to successful treatment outcomes.
• Acrylic splints serve as valuable intraoral apparatuses in the treatment of maxillofacial fractures.