title: A comparative study of three therapeutic modalities in a temporomandibular disorder (TMD) population.
abstract: A comparative study of three treatment modalities, pharmacologic, occlusal appliance, and their combined use, was conducted to test their therapeutic efficacy on 61 temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. Alprazolam (Xanax) was used for the pharmacologic treatment; the occlusal appliance therapy consisted of a flat maxillary stabilization splint. Of the 61 patients, 19 received Alprazolam, 30 received occlusal appliance therapy, and 12 received combined therapy. Subjects were examined at two-week intervals for two months. Only 42 patients attended all follow-up visits. Eight parameters were studied: severity of pain, periodicity of pain, self-evaluated stress, muscle sensitivity to palpation, joint sensitivity to palpation, joint noises, limitation of opening, and limitation of lateral movement. No significant difference was found between the treatment modalities for most of the parameters. All three proved to be effective. Alprazolam increased the restricted mandibular movement, was least effective on joint sensitivity to palpation, and had no effect on joint noises. The combined treatment approach not only failed to prove superior to the other treatments, but showed less improvement in some parameters, possibly due to the small sample.
authors.affiliation: The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Nemcovsky
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazit
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Serfati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000525:Alprazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000525:Alprazolam