Great Lakes' New Digital Splints Offer Accuracy, Predictable Results, and Reduced ...( Great Lakes ...),Health

Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. (Tonawanda N.Y.) developed a new fabrication process to digitally design and fabricate occlusal splint appliances, used to treat patients who suffer from conditions such as bruxing (clenching or grinding) and TMD.

Tonawanda, NY (PRWEB) August 10, 2009 -- Great Lakes is using 3D laser scanning, along with custom-designed software, and state-of-the-art machining to digitally fabricate splints significantly reducing splint adjustment time and saving valuable chair time.

The articulator geometry has been recreated in software. Models are scanned and then oriented on the virtual articulator. In the software, contact points are identified and disclusion ramps are defined. The software then creates a 3-D splint with even centric contacts and an anterior ramp with canine guidance.    

"Great Lakes digital splints are extremely accurate and it never takes more than 15 minutes to deliver. The digitally fabricated splint pays for itself in reduced chair time and headaches," said B. Clay Keith, DDS, PA, The Center for Implant and General Dentistry, Lindale, TX.

The advantage of the process is that there is no cusp indexing on the splint. It's virtually impossible to eliminate indexing using traditional methods. Digital splints are perfectly smooth to allow the teeth to move freely and not lock in any particular position. There are no divots in Great Lakes digitally fabricated splints.

Andrew Knowlton, DDS, Knowlton & McFall Dentistry, Sparta MI, said: "I used to dread delivering bite splints…until I started using Great Lakes digital design bite splints. Now I'm confident that my splints are going to fit well and I spend very little time perfec
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