Management of nonreducing temporomandibular joint disk displacement. Evaluation of three treatments.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the responses of patients with anterior disk displacement without reduction to natural course, stabilization splint, and surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Thirty-one patients refused any treatment (natural course group), 20 patients were treated with a stabilization splint (stabilization splint group), and 24 patients who had not responded to nonsurgical treatment for a mean period of 19.0 months underwent surgery (surgical group). The success rate was evaluated in each of the three groups.

RESULTS

The success rate was 41.9% in the natural course group, 55.0% in the stabilization splint group, and 76.9% in the surgical group.

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant benefit from treatment with a stabilization splint over no treatment was identified although both groups of patients experienced alleviation of discomfort. The patients who had not responded to nonsurgical treatment for a mean period of .19 months benefited from surgery.