There is insufficient evidence either for or against the use of stabilisation splint therapy for the treatment of temporomandibular pain dysfunction syndrome. This review suggests the need for further, well conducted RCTs that pay attention to method of allocation, outcome assessment, large sample size, and enough duration of follow up. A standardisation of the outcomes of the treatment of PDS should be established in the RCTs .
Evaluation of occlusal splint therapy and relaxation procedures in patients with temporomandibular disorders.
Twenty-four patients were selected to participate in this study. Twelve patients were randomly selected to receive occlusal splint therapy and the other 12 to receive a simplified relaxation therapy technique. Observable pain scores, maximum comfortable interincisal distance, and maximum interincisal distances were recorded for each group before and after treatment. The occlusal splint group showed a significant decrease in total mean observable pain scores (decrease score of 10.5, t = 3.124; P less than 0.1). The relaxation group showed no significant decrease in total mean observable pain scores (decrease score of 1.8, t = 0.888; P = ns). The occlusal splint group showed a significant increase in the mean maximum comfortable opening (an increase of 12.4 mm, t = 5.085; P less than .01). The relaxation group showed no significant increase in the mean maximum comfortable opening (an increase of 2.3 mm, t = 0.734; P = ns). The occlusal splint group showed a significant increase in the mean maximum opening (an increase of 6.0 mm, t = 2.471; P less than .05). The relaxation group showed no increase in the mean maximum opening (decrease of 0.7 mm, t = 0.343; P = ns). This study suggests that occlusal splint therapy is a more effective treatment for the pain, tenderness, and limited mandibular opening associated with temporomandibular disorders than relaxation therapy. In this study, the relaxation technique used had no significant effect on the patients' pain, tenderness, or limited opening.