Occlusal splints are the most common dental appliance prescribed for bruxism, TMD, and occlusal protection. Digital design and manufacturing have made splint fabrication faster, more accurate, and more consistent than traditional vacuum-forming or flask-and-process methods.
Design Protocol
1. Scan acquisition: Full arch intraoral scans, including the opposing arch and bite registration at the desired vertical dimension.
2. Virtual articulator: Digital mounting with individualized condylar guidance settings.
3. Splint design: Even occlusal contacts in centric relation, canine guidance in lateral excursions, anterior guidance in protrusion.
4. Material parameters: Minimum 2mm thickness at occlusal contacts, 1mm minimum elsewhere. Hard splints use PMMA or composite resin; soft splints use thermoplastic materials.
5. Manufacturing: Milling for hard splints (superior accuracy), 3D printing for both hard and soft materials.