IADR Abstract Archives
Stiffness characteristics of splints for fixation of traumatized teeth
Objectives: Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are treated by repositioning and splinting. Ideally, injured teeth should possess some mobility for optimal periodontal and pulpal healing. Ideal splints should be easy to apply in emergencies, affordable and esthetically acceptable. The aims were to compare some commonly-used splints with regard to stiffness (measured in Nm-1), esthetics, cost, and ease of application.
Methods: Six splints were applied to dental models using acid etch bonding technique. One central incisor was adjusted to give 1 mm of horizontal movement at the incisal edge. The mobilized tooth was connected to adjacent teeth with one of the following: twistflex wire (TF), titanium trauma splint (TTS), single (SFG) and double fiberglass (DFG), nylon (fishing) line (FL), and power chain (PC). A horizontal force of 50N was then applied to the incisor in a standardized manner with a spherical probe (1.65 mm radius). Force was monitored with a 50N load cell, displacement with an LVDT. Signals were amplified, converted digitally (14-bit ADC), and displayed in real-time. Splints were ranked with regards to esthetics, application time measured, ease of application assessed, and costs registered.
Results: FL and PC were the least stiff, averaging 5.7 Nm-1 and 6.3 Nm-1 respectively. TTS averaged 6.9 Nm-1, with SFG and TF averaging 18.5 Nm-1 and 18.4 Nm-1 respectively. DFG was the stiffest, averaging 24.3 Nm-1. PC and SFG were easiest to apply. FL showed the best esthetic score, followed by TTS and PC. TTS was the most expensive splint, while FL, PC, SFG, DFG and TF showed similar costs.
Conclusions: Of these TDI splints, we conclude that DFG should be avoided for flexible splinting because it is too stiff. PC may be an interesting novel alternative, affording sufficient mobility due to its low stiffness
Methods: Six splints were applied to dental models using acid etch bonding technique. One central incisor was adjusted to give 1 mm of horizontal movement at the incisal edge. The mobilized tooth was connected to adjacent teeth with one of the following: twistflex wire (TF), titanium trauma splint (TTS), single (SFG) and double fiberglass (DFG), nylon (fishing) line (FL), and power chain (PC). A horizontal force of 50N was then applied to the incisor in a standardized manner with a spherical probe (1.65 mm radius). Force was monitored with a 50N load cell, displacement with an LVDT. Signals were amplified, converted digitally (14-bit ADC), and displayed in real-time. Splints were ranked with regards to esthetics, application time measured, ease of application assessed, and costs registered.
Results: FL and PC were the least stiff, averaging 5.7 Nm-1 and 6.3 Nm-1 respectively. TTS averaged 6.9 Nm-1, with SFG and TF averaging 18.5 Nm-1 and 18.4 Nm-1 respectively. DFG was the stiffest, averaging 24.3 Nm-1. PC and SFG were easiest to apply. FL showed the best esthetic score, followed by TTS and PC. TTS was the most expensive splint, while FL, PC, SFG, DFG and TF showed similar costs.
Conclusions: Of these TDI splints, we conclude that DFG should be avoided for flexible splinting because it is too stiff. PC may be an interesting novel alternative, affording sufficient mobility due to its low stiffness
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