Occlusal Splint Therapy Followed by Orthodontic Molar Intrusion as an Effective Treatment Method to Treat Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Our goal is to show that temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients with orthopaedic instability can be effectively treated by the combination of occlusal splint therapy and molar intrusion. Diagnostic records of 18 patients reporting previous TMD and treated with splint therapy were evaluated. Postsplint anterior open bite was treated by skeletally anchored molar intrusion. Changes in overjet (OJ), overbite (OB) were measured on articulator mounted models: initially in maximal intercuspidation (MI), centric “de jour”, postsplint centric relation (CR) and postintrusion CR. Changes in ANB (A point-Nasion-B point) angle, mandibular plane–palatal plane angle and facial axis angle were assessed on lateral cephalograms. Morphological changes of the condyle were detected on pre-and posttreatment CBCT images. When compared screening mountings to MI models, significant differences were found in OJ and OB. Following splint wear, there was a significant increase in lower facial height and significant decrease in facial axis angle, which in turn increased ANB angle. OB and OJ showed a significant change on the postsplint mountings when compared to MI. After intrusion, mandible exhibited counterclockwise rotation, which decreased lower facial height, increased OB and facial axis angle and decreased ANB and OJ. Posttreatment CBCTs confirmed improved condylar morphology.Occlusal splint therapy followed by orthodontic molar intrusion provides MI-CR harmony, therefore, it seems to be an effective method for treating TMD patients.