title: Ultrasound evaluation of masseter muscle changes in stabilization splint treatment of myofascial type painful temporomandibular diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect whether stabilization splint (SS) treatment of painful myofascial type temporomandibular diseases (TMD) changes the masseter muscle morphology using ultrasound (US).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients with painful myofascial TMD receiving SS treatment were studied. Masseter thickness, length, internal echo-fibrillary structure and vascularization were evaluated using gray-scale and power Doppler US just before and 3 months after the SS application. Visual analog scale (VAS) and mouth opening measurements were used to measure the outcome of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant shortening in the masseter muscle length (R: -3.67 mm, P: .010; L: -3.97 mm, P: .005) and thickness (R: -0.93 mm, P: .005; L: -0.90 mm, P: .016) was noted. No change in the internal echo-fibrillary structure or vascularization was detected. A significant decrease in VAS scores (Median: 5-0.5 P < .05) and mouth opening (42.77 ± 7.86 mm to 38.69 ± 6.21, P < .05) was also detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSs modify and reduce the dimensions of masseter muscle.
authors: Department of Mouth, Teeth, Mandibular Disease and Surgery, Ankara University School of Dentistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Korkut
authors: K
authors: Aldemir
authors: Evren
authors: E
authors: Üstüner
authors: Erdal
authors: E
authors: Erdem
authors: A Samimi
authors: AS
authors: Demiralp
authors: Derya
authors: D
authors: Oztuna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography