title: A randomized clinical trial of intraoral soft splints and palliative treatment for masticatory muscle pain.
abstract: Thirty subjects seeking treatment for masticatory muscle pain at a university-based TMJ clinic were randomly assigned to soft-splint, palliative-treatment, and no-treatment groups. After 4 to 11 weeks of treatment, subjects were evaluated for changes from their baseline levels of symptoms, maximum pain-free opening, pain thresholds measured by a pressure algometer, and occlusal contacts. With the use of the multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of covariance, the results suggest that the soft-splint group had statistically significant improvement (P < .01), the palliative-treatment group had improvement that was not statistically significant, and the no-treatment group had a slight aggravation of symptoms. The soft-splint group had fewer occlusal contact changes assessed with shimstock compared to the palliative-treatment and no-treatment groups. The findings of this study suggest that the soft splint is an effective short-term treatment for reducing the signs and symptoms of masticatory muscle pain in patients, and the soft splint does not cause occlusal changes.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010166:Palliative Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*