Evaluation of disk capture with a splint repositioning appliance: clinical and critical assessment with MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate disk repositioning clinically and through use of magnetic resonance imaging after the insertion of a disk repositioning appliance.


METHODS
Seventy-four patients with 82 temporomandibular joints showing middle to late opening movement click and closing movement click near maximum intercuspation were treated with a mandibular full-coverage repositioning splint. These joints were assessed clinically and by means of magnetic resonance imaging for disk recapture.


RESULTS
According to clinical assessment, 75.6% (62/82) of the joints were treated successfully; no click was observed from the splinted mandibular position. When compared with the results of magnetic resonance imaging assessment, clinical assessment showed an accuracy rate of 91.5%, although the incidence of the false negatives was high (40%).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that about 70% of reducing displaced disks were captured with use of the disk repositioning appliance. And it was also suggested that magnetic resonance imaging is helpful to evaluate disk repositioning therapy.
Kurita
H
H
Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi, Matsumoto, Japan. hkurita@gipac.shinshu-u.ac.jp
Kurashina
K
K
Baba
H
H
Ohtsuka
A
A
Kotani
A
A
Kopp
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome