The efficacy of bilateral balanced and canine guidance occlusal splints in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder.

Studies on the effects of stabilization splints on the neuromuscular system in patients with functional disorders indicate that the splints reestablish symmetric and reduced postural activity in the temporal and masseter muscles and significantly reduce the masseter muscle activity. This study was conducted on sixteen male dentulous patients who were suffering from subjective and objective signs of Temporomanbdibular Disorders (TMD). The patients were randomly divided into two groups, eight patients in each according to the fabrication of the occlusal design of the stabilization splint. All patients were subjected to clinical examination using Helkimo Dysfunction Index (HDI) and Pantographic examination through Pantographic Reproducibility Index (PRI) to assess the degree of TMD before and after splint therapy. The obtained results reported a significant improvement in the TMD symptoms as monitored by HDI scores and PRI scores in both groups after three months of using the different occlusal design stabilizing splint with Bilateral balanced and canine guidance stabilization splints during excursive movements. Also the results showed a significant and progressive improvement in the TMD symptoms between 3 weeks (p=0.08) and 3 months (p=0.001) after using the occlusal splint with canine guidance during excursive movements compared with bilateral balanced guidance as manifested by the coordination of mandibular movements by the pantographic tracings through Pantographic Reproducibility Index (PRI).