The use of occlusal splints manufactured with «exocad» software in the treatment of temporo-mandibular disfunction

Abstract

Introduction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of 3D printed muscle relaxation splints made with EXOCAD software using a virtual articulator module for the treatment of disfunctional disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Materials and methods. We examined 38 patients with disorders of the occlusal ratios of the jaws and clinical manifestations of TMJ disfunction (ventral dislocation of the articular disk of the TMJ with reposition). All patients underwent axiographic investigation before, during every 3 weeks, and also after the treatment. In group 1 (n=24) we used muscle relaxation splints made in a mechanical articulator, while in group 2 (n=14) the splints were modeled in a virtual articulator in accordance with axiographic fndings. Results and discussion. The results of treating patients with subluxation of the TMJ articular disc with muscle relaxation splints made with mechanical and virtual articulators shown that the use of a virtual articulator resulted in minimal frequency of positioning errors in the articulator interframe space. We developed a method of occlusal surface modeling using a virtual articulator with loaded individual parameters of the lower jaw movements. It helped to considerably reduce inaccuracies of splint modeling occurring when a standard mechanical face bow with mechanical articulators is used. Conclusions. In patients with TMJ disfunction (ventral dislocation of the articular disc with reposition), the treatment is better with the use of printed tires made in the virtual articulator. The algorithm of the analysis of individual joint trajectories of the mandibular movements according to the axiography data and occlusal contacts in the modeling of muscle relaxing splints allows improving the quality of treatment of patients with disfunction conditions of TMJ.