Respiratory effect associated with use of occlusal orthotics in temporomandibular disorder patients

Abstract

Occlusal orthotics are widely used to manage temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

However, the respiratory effects of the use of occlusal orthotics in TMD patients are unclear. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effect of increased the vertical dimension by an orthotic on the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) of TMD patients. The secondary purpose was to determine whether these effects differed between maxillary and mandibular orthotics.

A total of 26 participants who were diagnosed TMD were recruited for this study. The orthotic group performed the Nox-T3 monitor test to obtain the AHI and the ODI, one night without the use of an orthotic(baseline)and the other night two weeks after they began using an orthotic(follow-up). The control group performed the Nox-T3 monitor test for two nights without the use of an orthotic. The AHI and ODI were compared between the baseline and follow-up. In the orthotic group, half of the patients were randomly allocated to the maxillary orthotic group; the other half were allocated to the mandibular orthotic group. The AHI and ODI were compared between maxillary and mandibular orthotic

groups.

Increasing the occlusal dimension with the orthotic statistically reduced the AHI both in the non-supine and supine positions. Moreover, the maxillary appliance decreased all AHI

and ODI, and mandibular appliance showed the decrease of only AHI.

This study concluded that increase vertical dimension by use of occlusal orthotics in TMD patients reduced respiratory disturbances in non-supine and supine positions.