Anterior condylar remodeling observed in stabilization splint therapy for temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2014 Sep;118(3):363-70. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2014.05.022. Epub 2014 Jun 14.

Abstract

Objective: To comparatively evaluate condylar surface bone formation and cortical thickening in patients with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, with or without stabilization splint (SS) therapy.

Study design: This retrospective study of 57 OA patients included 18 patients who had undergone SS therapy (SS group), compared with 39 patients that had not received SS therapy (non-SS group). To evaluate osseous changes on the condylar bone formation and cortical thickening, pre- and post-treatment cone beam computed tomography images of each patient were superimposed using voxel registration.

Results: The SS group exhibited a higher ratio of bone formation in the anterior division of the condyle; the non-SS group exhibited mostly no change. The SS group was found to have higher frequencies of cortical thickening in the anteromedial, anterior-intermediate, anterolateral, posteromedial, and posterior-intermediate sections than the non-SS group.

Conclusions: SS therapy in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis induced favorable bone remodeling in the anterior division of the condylar head.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Remodeling
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mandibular Condyle / diagnostic imaging
  • Mandibular Condyle / physiopathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Occlusal Splints*
  • Osteoarthritis / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteoarthritis / physiopathology*
  • Osteoarthritis / rehabilitation*
  • Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / diagnostic imaging
  • Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • Treatment Outcome