Construction of a gunning splint; Case report on the handling of mandibular fractures in edentulous patients

Abstract

Establishing anatomic reduction of an edentulous mandible fracture is a frequently acknowledged challenge in craniomaxillofacial trauma surgery in elderly patients due to compromised medical condition, lack of occlusive dental surfaces to capitalize on maxillomandibular fixation and various contraindications for the surgical approach. The solution is to overcome such problems in an edentulous mandible is to create occlusal guidance by either making dentures or by fabricating intraoral splints to guide in the reduction of jaws in correct alignment. For such conditions, “Gunning splint” is a better option as it provides close reduction and stabilization of mandibular fracture. A case report is presented here where close collaboration between an oral surgeon and a prosthodontist comes into role. The oral surgeon, after assessing the exact nature and extent of fracture, must communicate with the prosthodontist regarding the type of splint and management of fracture for the improvement of the patient's prognosis.