Treatment outcome of appliance therapy in temporomandibular disorder patients with myofascial pain after 6 and 12 months.

AIM

To compare the long-term effect of treatment with a stabilization appliance (group T) and treatment with a control appliance (group C) in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients with myofascial pain.

METHODS

In this controlled trial, 60 patients (mean age 29 years) with myofascial pain were evaluated after 10 weeks of treatment with either a stabilization appliance or a control appliance. All 60 patients were then assigned to 1 of 3 groups according to demand for treatment. Seventeen patients from group C requested another appliance and were given a stabilization appliance, thus creating a mixed group (group M).

RESULTS

A significant difference in improvement of overall subjective symptoms in an intent-to-treat analysis between groups T and C was found at the follow-ups. In a survival analysis of treatment compliance, a significant difference was found between groups T and C. At the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, a significant reduction in myofascial pain, as measured on a visual analog scale, was found in all three groups. A significant decrease in frequency and intensity of myofascial pain was found in group T at the follow-ups. A significant decrease in number of tender sites on the masticatory muscles was found in group T at the follow-ups.

CONCLUSION

The results support the conclusion that the positive treatment outcome obtained by use of a stabilization appliance to alleviate the signs and symptoms in patients with myofascial pain persisted after 6 and 12 months. Most patients in groups T and M reported positive changes in overall subjective symptoms in this trial. We therefore recommend use of the stabilization appliance in the treatment of TMD patients with myofascial pain.