Efficacy of Digital Occlusal Splint Technology in the Treatment of Irreducible Anterior Displacement of Temporomandibular Joint Disc

Abstract

This study investigates the efficacy of digital occlusal splint technology in treating irreducible anterior displacement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc and assesses its impact on clinical symptoms and TMJ function. A total of 36 patients treated for irreducible anterior displacement of the TMJ disc at our hospital from January to December 2022 were enrolled and randomized either into the digital occlusal splint group (digital group) or the traditional occlusal splint group (traditional group), with 18 patients in each group. The treatment duration for all patients was 12 weeks. Clinical adjustment time for occlusion was compared between the two groups. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) recorded and evaluated pain intensity and patient comfort at initial wear, 1 week, and 4 weeks after splint usage. Maximum active mouth opening was measured before treatment and at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-treatment. The Fricton TMJ Dysfunction Index evaluated clinical efficacy based on parameters such as mandibular movement, joint noise, joint palpation, muscle palpation, dysfunction index, muscle tenderness index, and joint dysfunction index. Patient satisfaction with treatment was compared between the two groups. The clinical adjustment time for the digital occlusal splint was significantly shorter than that for the traditional occlusal splint (P < 0.05). At 4 weeks, the digital group exhibited significantly lower pain scores than the traditional group (P < 0.05). At 1 and 4 weeks, the digital group demonstrated significantly better comfort scores than the traditional group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in maximum active mouth opening between the two groups before treatment and at 1 week after treatment (P > 0.05). However, at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, the digital group displayed significantly greater maximum active mouth opening than the traditional group (P < 0.05). The Fricton indices for the digital group were significantly lower than those for the traditional group after treatment (P < 0.05). The patient satisfaction survey revealed a 100% satisfaction rate for the digital group and 88.9% for the traditional group (P < 0.05). The application of digital occlusal splint technology in treating irreducible anterior displacement of the TMJ disc demonstrates excellent efficacy. It effectively shortens clinical adjustment time for the splint and significantly improves clinical symptoms and TMJ function in patients. This technology is worth promoting in clinical practice.