Jean-Nicolas Hasson¹*, Emmanuel Brand¹, Léa Michaud¹, Dominique Fricker¹ and URS Brägger²

¹Private Practice, Mulhouse, France
²Department of Reconstructive Dentistry and Gerontology, University of Berne, Switzerland

*Corresponding Author: Jean-Nicolas Hasson, Private Practice, Mulhouse, France.

Received: October 06, 2023; Published: October 27, 2023

Abstract

Background: Splinting of teeth has been progressively abandoned as treatment for periodontal disease due to a lack of evidence of improved clinical outcomes.

Objective: Our aim was to assess long-term effectiveness of metal-etched splints.

Material and Methods: Patients who received periodontal treatment involving a metal-etched splint, designed to reduce tooth mobility and/or migration, between 1985 and 1995 were recalled for clinical re-evaluations until 2014. Criteria assessed included supportive therapy frequency, plaque score, pocket depth, bone modification, patient-reported outcomes, and complications, such as debonding and caries.

Results: The initial group included 48 splints of 3–10 abutments each. Ultimately, 21 patients (22 splints) were followed up for 232 to 318 months. There was a relationship between supportive therapy frequency and plaque score improvement at the first recall (P = 0.0005), which decreased gradually with time (up to P = 0.0404). There was a correlation between plaque score and bone level modification by end of the study (P = 0.0002). Complications proved to be minimal.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that metal-etched splints may be used as an adjunctive treatment on periodontally compromised dentitions when followed up carefully and may be recommended for patients reluctant to undergo implant surgery under optimal conditions, such as a low local rate of caries.

Keywords: Periodontal diseases, patient compliance, supportive periodontal therapy, periodontal splints, long term care, resin bonded bridges

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Citation

Citation: Jean-Nicolas Hasson., et al. “Long-Term Effectiveness of Metal-Etched Splints and the Role of Patient Compliance During Supportive Periodontal Therapy".Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 7.11 (2023): 65-73.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2023 Jean-Nicolas Hasson., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.