Occlusal appliance therapy in a short-term perspective in patients with temporomandibular disorders correlated to condyle position

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to compare changes in the condyle-fossa relationship in patients with temporomandibular disorders of arthrogenous origin treated with either a stabilization or a control appliance in a double-blind controlled study, and to compare the changes in the condyle-fossa relationship with the short-term treatment effect in the two treatment groups. The radiographic appearance of the temporomandibular joint was also studied. Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight patients with temporomandibular disorders of arthrogenous origin were assigned to two equally sized groups: a treatment group, given a stabilization appliance; and a control group, given a control appliance. The study covered 10 weeks. The treatment outcome regarding changes in severity of temporomandibular joint pain on a verbal scale was compared to changes in the condyle-fossa relationship in horizontally corrected oblique lateral transcranial radiographs taken with and without the appliance. Condyle-fossa relationship and structural bone changes were observed before treatment in corrected lateral tomograms. Results: The group treated with a stabilization appliance showed a changed condylar position significantly more often (P = 0.004) than the control group. Of the patients reporting a successful treatment outcome, significantly more (P = 0.006) showed a changed condyle position in the group treated with a stabilization appliance than in the group treated with a control appliance. Conclusion: In patients with temporomandibular disorders of arthrogenous origin, the short-term occlusal appliance therapy resulting in a changed condylar position gave relief of symptoms more often than if the condylar position was unchanged.