Treatment by Dental Specialist
Occlusal splints (also termed bite plates or intra-oral appliances) are often used by dentists to treat TMD. They are usually made of acrylic and can be hard or soft. They can be designed to fit onto the upper teeth or the lower teeth. They may cover all the teeth in one arch (full coverage splint) or only some (partial coverage splint). Splints are also termed according to their intended mechanism, such as the anterior positioning splint or the stabilization splint.
A stabilization splint is a hard acrylic splint that guides the lower jaw to meet in an “ideal” relationship for the muscles of mastication and the TMJs. It is claimed that this technique reduces abnormal muscular activity and promotes “neuromuscular balance”. It is more complicated to construct than other types of splint since a face bow and jaw relation record is required and significantly more skill on the part of the dentist. This kind of splint should be properly fitted to avoid exacerbating the problem. The use of the splint should be discontinued if it is painful or increases existing pain. Medication is also prescribed to manage pain in TMD.