Maintenance of Periodontally Compromised Teeth Using Periodontal Splints

Objective: Periodontal splints offer a noninvasive and inexpensive treatment modality to stabilize mobile teeth. This study evaluated periodontal splints to examine their longevity and long-term stability. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who received splints on mandibular or maxillary anterior teeth. Data collected included patient age, gender, indication for splint placement, date of placement, teeth involved, percent bone loss, presence of a pontic, and type of reinforcement. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics. Differences in bone loss were analyzed using t-tests. Results: A total of 154 cases were included in the study. The average patient age was 57.2 and ranged from 17 to 93, with nearly equal rates of males and females (54% vs. 46%). Procedures were performed from 2003 until 2024. The majority were mandibular splints with (20%) or without a pontic (47%). Maxillary splints accounted for 33% of the sample (12% with pontic and 21% without). The nature of the splint was periodontal for 68% (n = 105) of the cases. Trauma accounted for 18% and included incidents with oral piercings and avulsion. Periodontal cases were assessed for bone loss where data were available. The average loss was 76.5% and ranged from 30%to 100%. Bone loss was not significantly associated with the location of the splint (p-value = 0.3690), patient gender (p-value = 0.3391), or use of splint reinforcement (p-value = 0.3548). Only 40% of splints were reinforced. More than half of the cases had a longevity of 10 or more years (n = 82, 55%). Conclusion: Splinting can provide long-term support to mobile teeth and aid in maintaining periodontally compromised teeth. In replacing single anterior teeth, a splint with a pontic can provide a stable provisional prosthesis as an alternative to a temporary removable appliance.