title: A multi-centred clinical audit to describe the efficacy of direct supra-coronal splinting--a minimally invasive approach to the management of cracked tooth syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This audit looked at the use of direct composite splinting to manage cracked tooth syndrome (CTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had been assessed as having CTS were offered the treatment of a directly bonded, composite overlay restoration placed in supra-occlusion. Cases were reviewed up to 3 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 151 restorations were followed up in the audit of which 131 were successful at 3 months. The remaining 20 restorations failed due to pulp complications (11), failure of the composite (5) or intolerance to the high restoration (4). Of the 131, patients described transient problems with chewing (94), composite breakage (13), TMD (1), phonetics (1), increased mobility (1) and tender to chewing (1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a successful non-invasive method of managing CTS in the short term for patients willing to accept transient effects.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerji
authors.affiliation: King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Dental Care, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamran
authors.affiliation: General Dental Practitioner, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalakonda
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Dentistry, King's College London, Dental Institute at Guy's, King's College & St. Thomas' Hospitals, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: brian.millar@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Millar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003387:Cracked Tooth Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D019230:Dental Audit; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D013165:Splints / Q000009:adverse effects; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014086:Tooth Mobility / Q000209:etiology; D014098:Toothache / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials
keywords: Composite splint; Cracked teeth; Supra-occlusion