The objective of this manuscript was to review the literature on dental trauma splints and discuss materials used for splinting injured teeth in terms of their properties and conditions that are required for optimal stabilization. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database with the keywords: “trauma splints”, “dental trauma” and “traumatic dental injuries”. The search was limited to English language publications. 42 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were in accordance with the current recommendations. Optimal splinting of the teeth after trauma is one of the main predictors for pulpal and periodontal healing. The splints stabilize and protect the teeth, creating favorable conditions for the regeneration of the supporting tissues. Their application and removal should be easy and fast without any additional irritating of the surrounding tissues. The materials used to stabilize the injured teeth should keep the tooth in the original position, allowing for its physiological mobility.

The gradual movement of a tooth away from the occlusal plane is called infraocclusion or reinclusion. Reincluded teeth are most often deciduous molars, and permanent teeth are less frequently affected. Depending on the level of the infraocclusion, the severity of the disorder is classified as mild, moderate, or severe. The etiology of the phenomenon is not fully known. Tooth submerging can lead to serious complications, such as abnormal position of adjacent teeth, displacement of the bud of the permanent successor, shortening of the dental arch, or developmental disturbances of alveolar process. Early diagnosis of the tooth infraocclusion and regular monitoring of its progression help to avoid serious permanent sequelae. The treatment of reinclusion often involves only observation. However, in some cases, the therapeutic procedure requires interdisciplinary treatment by specialists from various fields of dentistry. This study presents current methods of diagnosis and treatment of patients with submerged teeth.

Background: Tooth infraocclusion is a process in which a completely or partially erupted tooth gradually moves away from the occlusal plane. Submerged teeth can lead to serious complications. Treating teeth with infraocclusion is very challenging. One of the procedures allowing for the replacement of a missing tooth is autotransplantation. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on teeth autotransplantation, supported by a case report involving the autotransplantation of a third mandibular molar into the site of an extracted infraoccluded first mandibular molar, as well as the utilization of advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) alongside autogenous dentin grafts for bone tissue regeneration. Methods: A severely infraoccluded first permanent right mandibular molar was extracted and then ground to obtain the dentin graft. A-PRF clots (collected from the patient’s peripheral blood) were added to the autogenous dentin graft, to create the A-PRF membrane. An atraumatic extraction of the lower left third molar was performed and then it was transplanted into the socket of tooth no. 46. Immediately after transplantation, tooth no. 38 was stabilized with orthodontic bracket splints for 3 months. The patient attended regular follow-up visits within 12 months. Results: After one year, the patient did not report any pain. In the clinical examination, the tooth and surrounding tissues did not show any signs of infection. However, radiographically, cervical inflammatory resorption, unchanged pulp canal dimensions, absent root growth, periapical radiolucency, and lack of apical and marginal healing were observed. Reconstruction of the bone defect was obtained and the alveolar ridge of the mandible was preserved. Due to poor stability of the tooth and severe resorption, the tooth needed to be extracted. Conclusions: This study is designed to critically evaluate the efficacy of autotransplantation, the application of growth factors, and the integration of autogenous dentin grafts in remedying dental deficiencies resulting from reinclusion. We aim to point out the possible causes of treatment failure.

Background: Stabilization of luxated, avulsed, and root-fractured teeth is a part of the dental trauma treatment. The aim of the study was to assess the power chain and its comparison with two commonly used splinting materials. Methods: The evaluated splints were a wire-composite splint (WCS) with a diameter of 0.5 mm, a titanium trauma splint (TTS), and a power chain-composite splint (PCS). The splints were all fixed to the labial surfaces of permanent maxillary incisors in 10 human volunteers. The following parameters were measured: tooth mobility with Periotest before and after the splint application and removal, Aproximal Plaque Index (API), Sulcus Bleeding Index (SBI), and time needed to apply and to remove the splint. Each volunteer was also given a visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire to assess his/her subjective attitudes to splint materials. Results: The PCS was the most flexible material as it had the lowest horizontal Periotest values. For the two other methods, horizontal splint effects were similar and were also low. The PCS was the fastest to apply and remove and was also the most aesthetic splint. Conclusion: In this experimental study among volunteers, all three tested materials were found suitable for splinting the PCS has some advantages worth it to be further evaluated clinically in trauma patients.

Background: Prematurely born newborns with low birth weight constitute a group of patients who require special care from the first days of life. Prematurity and low birth weight affect about 13.4 million infants. Risk factors include placental disorders but also factors related to the mother, such as smoking, alcohol drinking, drug use, malnutrition, or certain diseases. It is imperative to educate women of reproductive age (15–49) about the basic factors influencing embryonic development, such as oral health, diet, medicine intake, and harmful habits. Even though most women are aware of the negative impact of harmful habits on the fetus, still too little attention is paid to oral health in pregnant women. Poor oral health may influence the well-being of the future mother, as well as of the child. Therefore, women of reproductive age and those who are pregnant must have adequate knowledge on this subject. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of Polish women of reproductive age (15–49) regarding oral health during pregnancy, including the impact of dental treatment, oral hygiene, and maternal oral conditions on pregnancy outcomes and the health of the newborn. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 508 women, in the reproductive age, whose age ranged from 18 to 49 years old. The surveys were conducted from April 2020 to November 2020. The questionnaire was originally developed based on the available literature and consisted of seven sections: basic information, general health and habits, pregnancy status and dental care, knowledge of treatment options during pregnancy, oral health status and its association with the risk of preterm birth, prematurity and the child’s oral health, and breastfeeding and oral development. Results: After excluding incomplete questionnaires, a total of 499 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Women participating in the study had a fairly good understanding of the impact of oral health on the fetus and the role of breastfeeding in the development of the stomatognathic system (from 50% to 70% correct answers). However, even though most respondents had completed higher education (344/68.94%), their knowledge of oral health, preterm birth, and low birth weight was very limited (including the impact of inflammation on the intrauterine development of the child or bacteria and transfer across the placenta). In these sections, the percentage of correct answers ranged from less than 20% to 50%. When analyzing knowledge by age, education, number of births, and place of residence, the highest levels of knowledge were observed among respondents with higher education, particularly those aged 27–32. Conclusions: Respondents had a fairly good understanding of the general impact of oral health during pregnancy and recognition of the importance of breastfeeding for infants. However, their knowledge about the impact of bacteria and inflammation in the mother’s oral cavity on prematurity and low birth weight was limited. Therefore, educating women of reproductive age and pregnant women on this topic is essential, as it may help reduce the adverse consequences of prematurity.

Background: Root fractures are defined as injuries involving dentine, cementum, and the pulp. They are rare, and they account for 0.5–7% of the dental injuries in the permanent teeth. Root fractures may be the result of direct trauma to the teeth or indirect trauma to the oral cavity. Their incidence is highest in the group of adolescent patients aged 11 to 20 years. The purpose of the paper is to review the literature supported by a case series with three different types of root fractures with various healing patterns, though all with successful long-term treatment outcomes. Case series: All presented patients were boys aged 10 to 11 years. Root fractures occurred as a result of direct impact with the teeth by an object. Only one boy had his root-fractured teeth endodontically treated. However, one of the teeth was misdiagnosed with pulp necrosis, and the other became non-vital after additional trauma. Conclusions: Root fractures in young patients have good healing potential. Appropriate and early diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for treating root-fractured teeth are necessary to achieve favorable healing and a good long-term prognosis. Regardless of the pattern of healing of fractured roots and the treatment provided, patients require long-term follow-up and the need to plan a management strategy in case complications occur. Failure of the healing of fractured root is a worst-case scenario, especially in patients of developmental age. In such cases, the primary goal of treatment is to preserve the alveolar ridge until growth is complete.