• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.141-150
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• 1986

This study conducted 2 types of occlusal splint therapy to eliminate clicking sound. 15 patients who had clicking on their joints were selected, and divided, at random, into 3 groups. In the first group, 4 persons put on stabilization splint and in the second group, 6 persons put on anterior repositioning splint which had made condyle to protrude 3mm, and in the last group, 5 persons put on anterior repositioning splint which had made condyle to protrude 6mm. Patients who wore anterior repositioning splint were instructed to use the splint for all days. The evaluation of clicking was measured by occlusal soundscope. The clicking was converted to aucostic signal by the attached microphone, instead of vibrating sensor The in-put aucostic signal on the occlusal soundscope made it possible to observe the experiment's result. Anterior repositioning splint was produced in the centric occlusion state, when the model was mounted to articulator and inserted two pieces of 3mm and 6mm resin blocks each into the rear wall of articulator fossa. The observation of the patients who wore three different splints for 3 weeks has reached the following conclusions: 1. Stabilization splint produced no effect in eliminating the clicking sound. 2. Anterior repositioning splint therapy with 3mm condylar protrusion produced significant improvement in eliminating the clicking sound. 3. The 6mm protruded anterior repositioning splint caused pain on affected TMJ area as well as the clicking on unaffected joint.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.57-67
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• 2003

Suppose that dental occlusion is related to body posture. We want to find out that improving occlusal balance may affect vibration and distribution of C.O.P. in which way, by measuring change of posture and center of gravity (center of pressure, C.O.P.) which plays important role in measuring balance sensation. Total 11 students at Kyung Hee dental college students, 4 females and 9 males (age: 23-30) participated in this test, who have normal occlusion (Angle's classification I), no TMJ problems. All of the participants have no tooth loss except 3rd molar, no prosthesis over single tooth restoration, no orthopedic problems which affect balance sensation, and no otorhinolaryngological problems. First, we registrated bite by centric relation, and then fabricated stabilization splint that is increased 3.5mm vertical dimension around premolar region. By F-scan (Tekscan Inc., Boston, Mass), we measured discrepancy of average contact pressure of left and right foot. And we also measured discrepancy of vibration of C.O.P(center of pressure). before setting stabilization splint and after wearing stabilization splint at intervals of 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks after. In normal human beings, improved occlusal balance by stabilization splint leads to decrease of vibration of C.O.P. (P<0.05). One week after wearing stabilization splint, vibration of C.O.P. decreased reliably (P<0.05), two weeks after wearing stabilization splint, vibration of C.O.P. decreased similarly comparing to before wearing and one week after wearing. (P<0.05) After two weeks and three weeks, however, it was hard to find reliability. (P>0.05) Difference between average contact pressure of right and left foot also decreased. (P<0.05) We could find decrease after one week of wearing stabilization splint (P<0.05) and two weeks after, the decrease was more reliable than one week after. (P<0.05) After two weeks and three weeks, however, it was hard to find reliability. Improvement of occlusal balance leads to decrease of vibration of C.O.P. and decrease of difference between right and left average contact pressure.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2014

PURPOSE. The occlusal splint has been used for many years as an effective treatment of sleep bruxism. Several methods have been used to evaluate efficiency of the occlusal splints. However, the effect of the occlusal splints on occlusal force has not been clarified sufficiently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of occlusal splints on maximum occlusal force in patients with sleep bruxism and compare two type of splints that are Bruxogard-soft splint and canine protected hard stabilization splint. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Twelve students with sleep bruxism were participated in the present study. All participants used two different occlusal splints during sleep for 6 weeks. Maximum occlusal force was measured with two miniature strain-gage transducers before, 3 and 6 weeks after insertion of occlusal splints. Clinical examination of temporomandibular disorders was performed for all individuals according to the Craniomandibular Index (CMI) before and 6 weeks after the insertion of splints. The changes in mean occlusal force before, 3 and 6 weeks after insertion of both splints were analysed with paired sample t-test. The Wilcoxon test was used for the comparison of the CMI values before and 6 weeks after the insertion of splints. RESULTS. Participants using stabilization splints showed no statistically significant changes in occlusal force before, 3, and 6 weeks after insertion of splint (P>.05) and participants using Bruxogard-soft splint had statistically significant decreased occlusal force 6 weeks after insertion of splint (P<.05). There was statistically significant improvement in the CMI value of the participants in both of the splint groups (P<.05). CONCLUSION. Participants who used Bruxogard-soft splint showed decreases in occlusal force 6 weeks after insertion of splint. The use of both splints led to a significant reduction in the clinical symptoms.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 1988

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of occlusal stabilization splint on the clinical symptoms and the condylar movement in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders(TMD). For the study, 15 TMD patients treated with stabilization splint and followed up were selected. The age of them was from 18 to 65 years and the mean period of treatment was 2.9 months. The author examined signs and symptoms of TMD according to Dr. Friction's evaluation from and recorded the condylar paths with Denar pantronic before and after splint therapy. The obtained results were as follows : 1. On the first visit, 11 patients(73.3%) showed muscle tenderness on palpation and the frequency was lateral pterygoid, masseter, medial pterygoid, temporalis, sternocleidomastoideus in the order named. 2. Occlusal stabilization splint was more effective in pain relief(100%) than in other dysfunction improvement(85.7%) 3. The amount of maximum opening increased from 37.1㎜ to 42.2㎜, but those of protrusion and laterotrusion changed little. 4. Pan. PRI scores decreased from 32.9 to 21.8, which meant improved reproducibility of mandibular border movements, and the group with sever dysfunction category showed more decrease in score than the group with moderate or slight dysfunction category.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.256-261
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• 2013

PURPOSE. Occlusal splints are commonly used to prevent tooth wear caused by bruxism. However, the effects of splints on occlusion are still unclear. Although it is rarely alluded in literature, splints can provoke severe occlusal alterations and other complications. This study was aimed to identify differences in the responses of individuals with bruxism and healthy individuals to a full-arch maxillary stabilization splint in terms of occlusal changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Occlusal contacts in 20 (5 male, 15 female) bruxism patients and 20 (5 male, 15 female) controls with normal occlusion were evaluated before and after occlusal splint therapy. T-Scan III, a computerized occlusal analysis system, was used to simultaneously measure occlusion and disclusion times as well as left-right and anterior-posterior contact distributions before splint therapy and 3 months after therapy. Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analyses (${\alpha}$=.05). RESULTS. No differences were found in the posterior contact of bruxism patients before and after stabilization splint treatment. However, differences in posterior contact were observed between bruxists and normal individuals prior to treatment, and this difference disappeared following treatment. CONCLUSION. The results of this study showed the use of a stabilization splint may not have an effect on occlusion. However, the area of posterior occlusal contact among bruxists was found to be greater than that of normal individuals. According to this study, the clinical use of splints may be harmless.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between possible occlusal change after stabilization splint therapy and the research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) Axis I diagnoses and lateral cephalometric variables. Methods: Clinical and radiographic records of 47 TMD patients wearing stablization splint were reviewed. The number of occluding teeth was recorded and lateral cephalogram was taken at pre-treatment and 6-month post-treatment. They were divided into two groups. The control group consists of patients with the unchanged number of occluding teeth throughout 6-month splint therapy (19 females and 4 males), and occlusal-loss group with the number of occluding teeth decreased (19 females and 5 males). The difference of RDC/TMD diagnoses and cephalometric variables were compared between two groups. Results: In the control group, RDC group I, muscle disorders, was 39.1% (9/23), group II, disc displacements, was 17.4% (4/23), group III OA, osteoarthritis/osteoarthrosis, was 73.9% (17/23), and group III pain, arthralgia, was 82.6% (19/23). In the occlusal-loss group, group I was 41.7% (10/24), group II was 41.7% (10/24), group III OA was 70.8% (17/24), and group III pain was 83.3% (20/24). The frequency of RDC groups was not different between two groups, analyzed by binomial logistic regression. Pre-treatment cephalometric variables were not different between two groups. However, articular angle, AB to mandibular plane and ODI decreased and gonial angle increased significantly in the occlusal-loss group, implying clockwise rotation of the mandible, between pre-treatment and 6-month post-treatment, while none of cephalometric variables showed any statistical difference in the control group. Conclusions: Change in the number of occluding teeth was not related to the RDC/TMD diagnoses. Cephalometric values changed only in the occlusal-loss group as a result of mandibular clockwise rotation. None of cephalometric variables before the stabilization splint therapy was statistically different between the control and occlusal loss group.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 1989

The author studied the changes of muscle activity with Bioelectric processor Model EM2(Myotronics Corp., USA) before and after occlusal stabilization splint therapy. For this study, 15 temporomandibular disorders patients and 15 students without any temporomandibular disorders symptoms were selected, for experimental group and control group, respectively. Experimental group were treated with occlusal stabilization splint and checked about electromyographic activity before and after therapy. Electromyographic levels were measured in both groups at the following mandibular position, i.e., physiologic rest, tapping, light biting, hard open without pain, open with pain, right excursion and ipsilateral biting, left excursion and ipsilateral biting, protrusion, protrusive biting, edge biting and physiologic rest after movement. The obtained results were as follows : 1. In experimental group, post-treatment mean values of muscle activity were lower than pretreatment values. 2. In general, the pre-treatment mean values of muscle activity in experimental group were higher than those of control group. 3. In experimental group, no statistically significant difference appeared between affected and unaffected side. 4. The mean value of muscle activity in physiologic rest position after each movement check was lower than that before each movement check.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2021

There are many studies on the indications and efficacy of splint therapy commonly used in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, there have been no studies on the splint weaning in terms of the splint use tapering period in relation to symptom improvement of TMD. This retrospective study aims to analyze a proper splint weaning method in patients with TMD based on symptom improvement. Materials and Methods: The authors examined 130 TMD patients with TMJ disorders, masticatory muscle disorders, and clenching/bruxism who had received splint therapy (occlusion stabilization splint, anterior positioning splint) of patients who visited the Department of Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine at Yonsei University Dental Hospital from 2015 to 2020. They were evaluated according to the method to wean splints. Results: The mean splint therapy period was 29.0 months, during which patients wore splints 7 days a week for 8.4 months, 3 - 4 days a week for 9.5 months, and finally 1 - 2 days a week for 11.1 months (a total of 29.0 months, about 2.5 years). Conclusion: It seems that TMD symptoms can be alleviated and side effects such as occlusal change can be minimized if patients wear a splint 7 days a week for the first 6 months, followed by 3 - 4 days a week for the next 6 to 18 months, and finally 1 - 2 days a week after 18 months.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.183-205
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• 2021

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effectiveness of maxillary stabilization splint (SS) therapy to reduce headache (HA) intensity and HA frequency in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD)-HA comorbidity. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using full-arch coverage, hard resin, and maxillary SS therapy were included. Electronic databases, including Cochrane Library, MEDLINE through PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE, were searched. The risk of bias was analyzed based on Cochrane's handbook. The search yielded 247 references up to January 28, 2020. Nine RCTs were included at a high risk of bias. The comparison groups included other splints, counseling, jaw exercises, medications, neurologic treatment, and occlusal equilibration. Four studies reported a statistically significant reduction in HA intensity, and five studies reported significant improvement in HA frequency from baseline at 2-12 months in patients with TMD-HA comorbidity treated with a full-arch hard maxillary SS. HA frequency in tension-type HA (TTH) comorbid with TMD diagnoses of myofascial pain (MFP) or capsulitis/synovitis improved significantly with SS than that with full-arch maxillary non-occluding splint (NOS) in two studies. Comparison groups receiving hard partial-arch maxillary splint nociceptive trigeminal inhibition (NTI) showed statistically significant improvements in HA intensity in patients with mixed TMD phenotypes of MFP and disc displacement comorbid with "general HA." Comparison groups receiving partial-arch maxillary resilient/soft splint (Relax) showed significant improvements in both HA intensity and frequency in patients with HA concomitant with MFP. The meta-analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the improvement of pain intensity at 2-3 months with comparison of the splints (partial-arch soft [Relax], hard [NTI], and full-arch NOS) or splint use compliance at 6-12 months with comparison of the splints (partial-arch Relax and full-arch NOS) versus the SS groups in patients with various TMD-HA comorbidities. In conclusion, although SS therapy showed a statistically significant decrease in HA intensity and HA frequency when reported, the evidence quality was low due to the high bias risk and small sample size. Therefore, further studies are required.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2023

This report presents the case of a 14-year-old male with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in both temporomandibular joints (TMJs), in whom a bone scan and laboratory tests were used to confirm the diagnosis. The patient visited the Department of Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine at the affiliation hospital with a complaint of a 1-year history of bilateral TMJ pain and sound. Clinical examination revealed bilateral TMJ and masseter muscle pain during mouth opening and palpation. Radiological examination revealed no significant morphological changes in either TMJ. The patient was prescribed medications at the first visit to address the pain, inflammation, and stiffness. A bone scan and laboratory tests were planned/scheduled for differential diagnosis between simple arthralgia and osteoarthritis. The bone scan revealed increased radiotracer uptake in both TMJs. The laboratory tests revealed a RA factor of 82.4 IU/mL, which is more than four times the normal range. The final diagnoses were bilateral TMJ early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. We created a stabilization splint and referred the patient to the Department of Rheumatology for further evaluation of the ERA. After fitting of the stabilization splint and giving instructions regarding its use, the patient has been receiving monthly follow-up checks for symptoms and undergoes follow-up blood tests every 3 months. About 14 months after the initial visit, the pain had significantly decreased from a Visual Analog Scale score of 5 to 1, and the RA factor decreased to 66.6 IU/mL. A regular follow-up check will continue until the end of growth.