Differential diagnosis of a temporomandibular disorder with soft splint

Abstract

This case report introduces diagnosis and treatment methods of temporomandibular disorder using a soft splint. Temporomandibular disorder, or TMD can be triggered by vari-ous combinations of systemic and psychological causes beyond the physiological capacity. Although occlusion–related factors are considered to be one of the greatest causes in a number of cases, the causal relationship between TMD and occlusion is still controversial due to the shortage of scientific evidence. There is no clear consensus on the diagnosis and treatment among clinicians; many of them are unsure whether they should inter-vene with the occlusion, and if so, how they should deliver the treatment. Therefore, we suggest to firstly examine to what extent occlusal causes are factors and to then conduct treatment to the relevant factors when dental causes are observed partially or totally, and occlusal factors do not require urgent intervention. The authors utilise a soft splint, which prevents dental contact in occlusion, in order to deliver a differential diagnosis and treatment for dental causes in cases with various TMD symptoms. Many clinical cas-es have resulted positively by adjusting the splint according to symptom observations, such as mouth opening width, mouth opening and closing trajectory, and provoked pain on muscle palpation, which is presumably an accompanying symptom of TMD and jaw pain during mandibular movement.