抄録
In principle, a stabilization-splint covers the entire dental arch, and the occlusal contact should be equally distributed around the arch, but in our clinic, we sometimes make solid posterior contact at the specific area by adding self-curing resin on the occlusal surface of the splint. Since a stabilization splint that covers the entire dental arch is comparatively large, it is not easy to make equally distributed occlusal contact due to inaccurate impression, polymerization shrinkage, and technical errors on occlusal adjustment.
It seems that the condyle motion in wearing an occlusal splint is a factor that infers the prognosis of temporomandibular disorders, but it is not entirely clear. When the splint does not have equally distributed occlusal contact, the temporomandibular joint may possibly have an excess load. To solve this problem, our experiment was conducted to study the displacement of the mandibular condyle during clenching, with a stabilization splint and with a device whose occlusal surface was modified.
The results of the experiment were the following: When the subject clenched on the right first molar with the stabilization splint, with a 1.0-mm-thick pivot by adding self-cure resin on the occlusal surface at this area, the right mandibular condyle significantly moved latero-inferiorly. When the subject clenched on the right second molar with the stabilization splint, with a 0.5-mm-thick pivot, the right mandibular condyle significantly moved antero-superiorly. There was no significant difference except for the above two conditions.
