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Results for “Occlusal Splints”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1977

[Bite plates and occlusal splints].

Occlusal adjustments are often necessary in cases of masticatory muscle spasm, bruxism, traumatic occlusion and TMJ disturbancies. Before such occlusal adjustments are performed, the patient should either wear a bite plate or an occlusal splint which frees the occlusion for a certain time. The splint is fabricated on a semiadjustable articulator such as the Hanau H2-XPR which is also used for the functional analysis on the models prior to any adjustments. Advantages and disadvantages of different types of plates and occlusal splints are discussed. The authors conclude that an occlusal splint covering the entire dental arch, such freeing the occlusion, seems to be the most appropriate appliance available today.

Bruxism↗

PubMed1990

Night guards and occlusal splints.

Occlusal splints/night guards can be an effective, inexpensive and reversible treatment for a wide range of dental problems. The author describes their clinical uses, discusses some of the rationales that have been given for these uses, and outlines the designs that have the widest clinical application.

Dental Occlusion↗

PubMed1992

Making an alternative occlusal splint.

An occlusal splint is commonly used in the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders. In a partially edentulous patient a poorly adapted removable partial denture can prevent the use of a conventional occlusal splint. This article describes the fabrication of an occlusal splint that also incorporates a provisional removable partial denture.

Dental Occlusion↗

PubMed1978

Occlusal splint fabrication.

Occlusal splints are useful in the treatment of occlusal and temporomandibular joint problems. Occasionally a patient is in a state of discomfort that requires immediate attention. This technique allows for the rapid and effective fabrication of an occlusal splint in the dental office.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed1987

The effects of hard and soft occlusal splints on nocturnal bruxism.

Occlusal splints are commonly used for the treatment of nocturnal bruxism. This study investigated the effects of hard and soft occlusal splints on nighttime muscle activity. The nocturnal muscle activity of ten participants was recorded while wearing a hard and then a soft occlusal splint. The hard occlusal splint significantly reduced muscle activity in eight of the ten participants. The soft occlusal splint significantly reduced muscle activity in only one participant while causing a statistically significant increase in muscle activity in five of the ten participants.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Temporomandibular joint disk displacement without reduction. Treatment with flat occlusal splint versus no treatment.

A flat occlusal splint has been extensively used in the treatment of patients with temporomandibular joint disk displacement without reduction, but no studies with untreated controls have assessed its effect. We randomly assigned 51 patients with temporomandibular joint pain and arthrographically verified disk displacement without reduction to be treated with a flat occlusal splint or to serve as untreated control subjects in a 12-month clinical trial. Pain symptoms disappeared in about one third of the patients in each group. Another third of the patients in the control group improved. Sixteen percent of the patients in the control group and 40% of the patients treated with a flat occlusal splint were worse at the end than at the beginning of the study. Joint pain and muscle tenderness decreased more frequently in the nontreatment controls than in the treatment group. A statistically significant benefit of a flat occlusal splint over nontreatment control subjects could not be identified in this study of patients with painful disk displacement without reduction. The use of a flat occlusal splint in this patient group should therefore be reconsidered.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Postural contractile activities of human jaw muscles following use of an occlusal splint.

As induced by an occlusal splint over a period of 1 week, this study monitored surface electromyographic changes in the postural contractile activities of jaw elevator and depressor muscles in six healthy adults. The immediate effect of the occlusal splint was to increase the postural contractile activities of the suprahyoid muscles. All postural muscle activities showed wide-ranging biological variation, but the activities induced by the splint tended to stabilize within 1 week, with decreased postural activities in the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles, and increased postural activities in the suprahyoid muscles.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Effect of occlusal splints on TMJ symptomatology.

The clinical response of TMJ symptomatology to full-coverage occlusal splints, when used as the only means of treatment, was evaluated. The symptomatology recorded during the last postoperative visit was compared to the initial visit. The response of the different symptoms to the use of the occlusal splint was analyzed statistically using a chi-square test. A statistically significant difference (p = .03) was only found when comparing those groups having only pain or dysfunction symptomatology. The response favored the remission of pain. However, every symptom was improved with the use of an occlusal splint. It was concluded that: 1. Both pain and dysfunction symptomatology will benefit from the occlusal splint therapy. 2. The pain response will be significantly better than the dysfunction response when the patient is treated with an occlusal splint. 3. Eighty percent of the patients suffering from a TMJ syndrome will improve or be cured when the only form of treatment is the use of a full-coverage occlusal splint.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed1992

Adverse events of acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy in the treatment of craniomandibular disorders.

Occlusal splint therapy and acupuncture have been found to provide positive treatment in a number of studies. As with other therapies, adverse events may occur. In this paper, adverse event refers to any reaction to a treatment besides the intended treatment effect--irrespective of any correlation between the treatment and the reaction. This reaction can be positive, as well as negative, to the patient. In the present study, 61 patients with craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) were treated with acupuncture or occlusal splint therapy and the adverse events were carefully recorded. The results show that the profile of the adverse events differed between the two treatment modes. Acupuncture seemed to have adverse events of a more general nature, e.g., relaxed feeling, improved sleep, temporarily increased pain; whereas, adverse events of occlusal splint therapy seemed to be more locally related to the orofacial region, e.g., increased/decreased salivation and tension in the teeth. The majority of the patients responded positively to both treatment modalities. Only in a few cases did the patients consider the treatment uncomfortable. No serious adverse event or complication was observed in this study.

Acupuncture Therapy↗

PubMed1991

Influence of occlusal splints on bilateral anterior temporal EMG activity during swallowing of saliva in patients with craniomandibular dysfunction.

A full-arch maxillary stabilization occlusal splint was made for each of 10 patients with craniomandibular dysfunction. These splints were divided into three sections (one anterior and two posterior). This procedure allowed variation in the anteroposterior centric localization of occlusal contacts, thus permitting the recording of the EMG effects produced by the different occlusal splint sections. The integrated EMG activity was recorded from the right and left anterior temporal muscles during swallowing of saliva in habitual occlusion and with the different occlusal splint sections inserted. EMG activity during swallowing of saliva was significantly lower with the different occlusal splints than in habitual occlusion. This supports the rationale for diurnal wear of the occlusal splint. No differences in EMG activity were found during swallowing of saliva when different sections of the occlusal splints were used. This fact points out the possibility for therapeutic use of different occlusal splints for improving swallowing function.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Influence of stabilization occlusal splints on sternocleidomastoid and masseter electromyographic activity.

The present work was conducted in order to determine the effect of stabilization occlusal splints on electromyographic (EMG) activity of sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles, in subjects with tenderness to palpation in these muscles. A full-arch maxillary stabilization occlusal splint was made for each of 14 subjects. Tonic EMG activity, as well as during saliva swallowing and maximal voluntary clenching, was recorded with and without a stabilization occlusal splint inserted. Similar tonic, as well as maximal voluntary clenching EMG activity, with and without the stabilization occlusal splint, was observed. During saliva swallowing, the activity in both muscles was significantly lower with the stabilization occlusal splint. This suggests that daytime use of the stabilization occlusal splint might improve tenderness to palpation in the studied muscles, since the frequency of swallowing function is higher during waking hours.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Influence of an occlusal splint on integrated electromyography of the masseter muscles.

In order to examine the effect of an occlusal splint on the integrated electromyography (EMG) of the masticatory muscles, EMG of bilateral masseter muscles of 23 patients with temporomandibular joint disturbance syndrome (TMJDS), with and without an occlusal splint, was measured and integrated on line during maximum clenching. It was found that the integrated myoelectrical value of the masseter muscle on the involved and non-involved side was reduced with the occlusal splint. The absolute difference between integrated myoelectrical values in the left and right masseter muscles was reduced with an occlusal splint, but the relative difference remained virtually unchanged. These results indicate that the occlusal splint can decrease masseter muscle activity and thus exert a therapeutic effect.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Anterior repositioning splint in the treatment of temporomandibular joints with reciprocal clicking: comparison with a flat occlusal splint and an untreated control group.

The anterior repositioning splint is widely used to treat temporomandibular joints with reciprocal clicking. This treatment was compared to a flat occlusal splint and to an untreated control group. The anterior repositioning splint decreased joint pain at rest, during chewing, and during protrusion. Reciprocal clicking was eliminated and palpatory tenderness of the joint and muscles was reduced. This favorable effect was of short duration. The majority of the patients reported pain and clicking and demonstrated tenderness following removal of the splint after 6 weeks' treatment. The flat occlusal splint decreased joint tenderness but did not affect clicking or muscle tenderness. In the control group the clicking remained and the frequency of muscle tenderness increased. The results indicate that temporomandibular joints with reciprocal clicking can be successfully treated by positioning the mandible anteriorly. Since the symptoms returned when the splint was removed a more permanent change of mandibular position seems necessary.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

The effects of an occlusal splint on the electromyographic activities of the temporal and masseter muscles during maximal clenching in patients with a habit of nocturnal bruxism and signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders.

The effects of a full arch maxillary plane occlusal splint on the level of electromyographic (EMG) activity in the anterior temporal and masseter muscles during maximal clenching were studied in 31 patients with a habit of nocturnal bruxism and signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders, before and after occlusal splint therapy. The results showed, before treatment, that the occlusal splint changed significantly (in 71% of patients) the level of EMG activity during maximal clenching. However, these changes were not consistent and differed between patients and even, in some patients, between muscles. After long-term occlusal splint therapy and improvement of the signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders, the number of patients who had an identical level of EMG activity during maximal clenching in the intercuspal position and on the occlusal splint tended to increase. Moreover, in these patients the level of symmetry of action in pairs of muscles during maximal clenching was strong, and the splint did not change this level of symmetry.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Application of occlusal splint for the patient with temporomandibular joint dysfunction. An application of silane coupling treatment: a case report].

The bite plane therapy has been one of the most useful treatment methods for patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. But the bite plane usually causes esthetic and articulation disturbances and it is occasionally difficult to use during mastication. The authors have fabricated a new type of bite plane, named occlusal splints, which covers each side of the premolars and molars. The occlusal splint was constructed by a hard-resin for the occlusal part and cast clasps for the retentive part and these parts were adhered after a pre-treatment of metal by the use of a silane coupling agent (Silicoater system). The patient was a 35 year-old man, with a chief complaint of left side reciprocal TMJ clicking. The anterior repositioning type of bite plane was applied for the treatment with the diagnosis of anterior disk displacement with reduction. But he complained of esthetic and articulation disturbances especially during working and eating. After four months we fabricated an occlusal splint that can be used for a long period of time. The patient was satisfied to use this occlusal splint and no symptoms of TMJ dysfunction were found with this appliance. It is suggested that the occlusal splint consisting of a hard-resin and cast clasps is a useful appliance especially for the purpose of use during working and eating, and for evaluating the properness of mandibular position.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy in the treatment of craniomandibular disorders. Part I. A comparative study.

One hundred and ten patients, 23 males and 87 females, participated in a comparative study of the effect of acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy. All the patients exhibited signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) and had had pain for more than six months. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups; acupuncture treatment, occlusal splint therapy or control. The patients were evaluated before and immediately after treatment/control time. Ten different subjective and/or clinical assessment variables were used in the evaluation of the treatment effects. Both acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy reduced the symptoms as compared with the control group in which the symptoms remained essentially unchanged. In this short-term study, acupuncture gave better subjective results (p < 0.001) than the occlusal splint therapy.

Acetaminophen↗

PubMed1988

Disk-repositioning onlays in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disk displacement: comparison with a flat occlusal splint and with no treatment.

Sixty-three patients with an arthrographic diagnosis of disk displacement with reduction were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: (I) onlays to maintain disk repositioning, (II) flat occlusal splint, or (III) untreated controls. Guidance for construction of the disk-repositioning onlays was established during arthrography to obtain a recaptured disk position relative to the condyle. The onlays were cemented to the teeth and maintained the new intercuspal position anteriorly and inferiorly. The flat occlusal splint was used at night only and was adjusted to maintain a maximal occlusal contact in centric relation and centric occlusion. Clinical examinations were performed before and after 6 months of treatment. The disk-repositioning onlays improved joint function and reduced joint and muscle pain when compared with the flat occlusal splint and with nontreatment. The signs and symptoms in the flat occlusal splint group were no different from those in the control group. It is concluded that disk-repositioning onlays are effective in reducing pain and dysfunction associated with disk displacement with reduction in patients in whom the disk can be maintained in a normal relationship to the condyle with the aid of such onlays. The symptoms, however, returned when the onlays were removed after 6 months; this raises the question of whether a permanent change in the intercuspal position is necessary for long-term success.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

An easily fabricated occlusal splint.

An easy and inexpensive method for fabrication of an occlusal splint has been described. It has a high degree of patient acceptance and is effective in treating TMJ dysfunction symptoms. If a hard acrylic occlusal splint is preferred, the aforementioned method can be used as an interim appliance until necessary appointments can be scheduled.

Dental Occlusion↗