ABSTRACT
Trauma sustained to the commissures of the lips will result in perioral tissue deficits. Without intervention, this will lead to functional and esthetic deformities. Splinting devices have proven to be an effective and economical means of treatment. Reviews have appeared in the literature describing techniques and treatment regimens for the use of such oral commissure splints. Each has specific advantages and disadvantages in application. A variation of these previously described splints now in use at the University of Chicago Hospitals is presented. Three case histories are presented with discussion of the uses and advantages of this appliance.
Subject(s)
Lip/injuries , Splints , Adult , Female , Humans , Lip/surgery , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Care , Wound HealingABSTRACT
Prosthodontic restoration in edentulous patients who have undergone hemisection of the mandible is difficult because of the instability of the mandible after resection and the lack of teeth necessary for successful retention of a guidance appliance. Successful prosthodontic restoration was accomplished through the use of a two-piece Gunning splint both for intermaxillary fixation and as a guidance appliance in an edentulous patient who underwent a hemisection of the mandible subsequent to treatment for an ameloblastoma. Because mandibular guidance therapy is most successful in patients whose resection involves only bony structures with minimal loss of soft tissue and no radical neck dissection or radiation therapy, the patient treated for ameloblastoma is an ideal candidate for the use of a two-piece Gunning splint for intermaxillary fixation and mandibular guidance therapy.
Subject(s)
Ameloblastoma/surgery , Dental Occlusion , Mandible/surgery , Mandibular Neoplasms/surgery , Splints , Denture, Complete , Equipment Design , Female , Humans , Mandible/physiology , Middle Aged , Mouth, Edentulous/rehabilitationABSTRACT
This technique is an adaptation of the double-flask technique that is well-known for the fabrication of the hollow bulb portion of a maxillary obturator. It can be used only for patients with both an atrophic maxillary alveolar ridge and a greater than usual interocclusal distance. Anything less will not permit fabrication of a hollow denture.
