The effects of intraoral splints on the masticatory system of pigs.

While evidence exists to support the effectiveness of splints on conditions involving the masticatory musculature, few research projects have examined the results of long-term splint wear. The purpose of this study was to examine the function of the masticatory system over a 2-month time period of splint wear. Young adult female miniature pigs were divided into three groups: a control (C) group that wore no intraoral splint, a control splint (CS) group that wore a splint increasing bite height, and a protrusive splint (PS) group that wore a splint increasing bite height and moving the mandible anteriorly. Splints were worn constantly. Fine-wire needle EMG was performed prior to splint delivery and at 1 and 2 months post-splint delivery. Bilateral superficial masseters and zygomaticomandibularis (ZM, equivalent to deep masseter) muscles were monitored during normal feeding. Absolute EMG output, percentage output, and cycle timing were unaffected by chronic splint wear. However, chewing coordination was significantly changed in the splinted groups in both sessions post-splint delivery relative to baseline readings and to the C group (P < 0.005). Trends indicate that the coordination of the PS group was more greatly altered than that of the CS group.