WHAT IS TEETH SPLINTING?
When your teeth get loose, many problems can arise that range from pain to tooth loss. Loose teeth are often a warning sign of advanced periodontal disease or other serious oral issues that must be addressed and dealt with. The approach to treating loose teeth is both biologic and mechanical in nature. The biological approach focuses on addressing issues with infection, gum disease, cavities, and other issues related to the teeth. The mechanical approach focuses on altering the way the teeth work and how bite force, alignment, and pressure points impact the teeth.
Here is a summary of ways teeth splinting can be done to improve the structure of the teeth:
- Bite Adjustment:The first and most common approach to treating loose teeth is adjusting any bite misalignment to reduce force and pressure on certain teeth and areas of the jaw.
- Splinting:If any of your teeth are very loose, they can be splinted or joined together with an appliance that works like an anchor to secure two or more teeth together.
TEMPORARY SPLINTING
This can be achieved with temporary crowns placed over the affected teeth to help improve the way they fit together and by locking them together. Intra-coronal splints are placed inside the teeth by creating a shallow groove, placing an orthodontic wire in, and filling it in with dental bonding materials. Extracoronal splints either lay a wire on the tongue side of the front teeth or a fiberglass strip is bonded to the teeth for support. Splinting of these types will need to be redone and checked regularly due to their temporary design.
PERMANENT OR FIXED SPLINTING
This method addresses the issue of loose teeth by in connecting them together. This is most often done by crowning the affected teeth and creating a splint that is placed over the crowns and cemented to the teeth themselves. This keeps them locked in place and makes them more durable and stable and it is a permanent fix that essentially turns two or more teeth into one structure.
OCCLUSAL SPLINTS OR GUARDS
For individuals who grind or clench their teeth a lot, an occlusal splint or bite guard can help reduce the damage done to the teeth. These removable devices help cushion the teeth and reduce the force and pressure these habits exert on the teeth. They can be used long term when needed to bring relief from the pain and discomfort that is most commonly associated with loose teeth.