Thursday, April 6, 2017

Periodontal Splinting

Greenville Family Dentistry’s Dr. Christopher Emuedue is experienced in many kinds of restorations for his patients’ damaged teeth and gums. But what happens when teeth are loose enough to cause problems, but the doctor or patient doesn’t want to extract them? One solution is a periodontal splint, which distributes bite force across multiple teeth, sparing the loose one.


Usually, when we speak of weak teeth, we are actually talking about weak gum tissue. The splint is a permanent fixture in the mouth which provides an alternative anchor, stretching across the backs of the incisors. It is made out of a porous fiber which is dipped in resin. While older splints required lots of resin, the modern ones only create a small ridge, minimizing the unusual feeling of something being permanently stuck to the teeth.


During the application process, the gums are shielded with a gel inserted between each tooth. The teeth are etched with a mild acid to provide them with more surface area for the resin to grip to. This is the same type of acid used when orthodontists attach brackets to the front of the teeth, and shouldn’t result in prolonged sensitivity. Though a splint can’t reverse periodontal disease, it can mitigate a patient’s fears of tooth loss.


Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.


 

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