Effect of Occlusal Stabilizing Splint for Osteoarthritis of Temporomandibular Joint

To evaluate the treatment outcome of occlusal stabilizing splint in patients with TMJ osteoarthritis, the 76 subjects were chosen among the patients who presented to the Department of Oral medicine of Pusan National University Hospital, diagnosed as TMJ osteoarthritis by cone beam computed tomography, x-ray and clinical exam, and treated with occlusal stabilizing splint from 2009 to 2011. They were treated with physical therapy and medication before occlusal stabilizing splint delivery and checked monthly after occlusal stabilizing splint delivery. Subjective symptoms and clinical findings were investigated to evaluate and compare the subjects` status at the first visit, splint delivery visit and the last visit. The results were as follows; 1. Pain, noise, LOM and MCO were significantly improved between the first visit and occlusal stabilizing splint delivery visit, and between occlusal stabilizing splint delivery and the last visit. 2. In the acute group, pain and noise were significantly improved between the first visit and occlusal stabilizing splint delivery visit. Pain, LOM and MCO were significantly improved between splint delivery visit and the last visit 3. In the chronic group, pain, noise and LOM were significantly improved between occlusal stabilizing splint delivery visit and the last visit.