Stents & Splints

In dentistry, stents and splints are intraoral appliances designed to guide, protect, or stabilize oral tissues, though they serve distinct clinical purposes. A stent functions primarily as a guide, mold, or support mechanism during surgical and healing phases; common examples include computer-guided surgical templates for precise dental implant placement, clear acrylic stents that secure mucosal or skin grafts against the palate after pre-prosthetic surgery, and radiation carrier or shielding devices used in oncology to protect healthy tissue. In contrast, a splint is engineered for immobilization, load redistribution, and structural stabilization. In dental traumatology and periodontics, flexible or rigid splints-such as wire-composite configurations or fiber-reinforced ribbons-stabilize subluxated, avulsed, or periodontally compromised teeth to facilitate periodontal ligament regeneration without inducing ankylosis.