Comparison of a new dental trauma splint device (TTS) with three commonly used splinting techniques

Splinting is the standard of care for stabilization of replanted or reposit ioned permanent teeth following trauma. The present experimental study comp ared four dental trauma splints in 10 volunteers. The evaluated splints inc luded a wire-composite splint (WCS), a button-bracket splint (BS), a resin splint (RS), and a new device (TTS=Titanium Trauma Splint) specifically dev eloped for splinting traumatized teeth. All splints were bonded to the labi al surfaces of the maxillary lateral and central incisors. Splints were lef t in place for 1 week. After splint removal, the next splint was placed aft er a 1-week rest period. The sequence of splint application was randomized for each individual. The following parameters were assessed: tooth mobility with horizontal and vertical Periotest values (PTV) before and after splin t application and splint removal, respectively; probing depths, plaque and bleeding on probing indices before splint application and removal, and chai r time needed for splint application and removal. After splint application, horizontal PTV were significantly lower in central incisors for BS compare d to TTS (P=0.04), and for RS compared to TTS (P=0.005) and to WCS (P=0.006 ). Reduction of lateral tooth mobility (=splint effect) expressed by the di fference between horizontal pre- and postoperative PTV was significantly gr eater in RS compared to TTS and WCS (P <0.05) for central as well as for la teral incisors. However, changes of vertical tooth mobility were not signif icant across the splinting techniques. Periodontal parameters remained unch anged, reflecting the excellent oral hygiene by the study subjects. The cha ir time needed for splint application was significantly shorter for TTS (P <0.01). In conclusion, all tested splints appeared to maintain physiologic vertical and horizontal tooth mobility. However, the latter was critically reduced in RS splints.