Role of soft occlusal splint therapy in the management of temporomandibular disorders: A 6-month follow-up study

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of soft occlusal splint therapy in patients presenting with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in each diagnostic category based on Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) criteria. Materials and Methods: In this study, 50 consecutive patients (20 males and 30 females) with TMDs received soft occlusal splint therapy. All the patients were evaluated for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain on visual analog scale (VAS), maximum comfortable mouth opening or interincisal distance (IID), and joint sounds at the time of diagnosis and after every month for the next 6-month period. Pre- and post-treatment clinical parameters were compared using paired and unpaired t-tests, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: At 6 months' follow-up examinations, there was a progressive decrease in pain and tenderness as indicated by VAS scores and significant improvement in mouth opening (mean IID) after treatment with soft occlusal splint therapy. The joint sounds were either ceased completely or reduced in intensity. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, we can conclude that soft occlusal splint therapy is a simple, minimally invasive procedure with a relatively low risk of complications and significant clinical benefits in patients with TMJ disorders.