Dental splint prescription patterns: a survey

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Medicine
• Dental Prosthetics

Background:

• Bruxism, myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain are prevalent conditions impacting many patients.
• Dental splints are a common treatment modality prescribed by dentists for these orofacial disorders.
• Quantifying the fabrication of dental splints provides insight into treatment prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the number of dental splints fabricated by U.S. dentists in a year.
• To estimate the annual splint output for bruxism, myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome, and TMJ pain.
• To assess the extent to which dentists utilize splint therapy for these conditions.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of U.S. dentists was surveyed.
• A mailed questionnaire was used to collect data on splint fabrication over the preceding year.
• Data were analyzed to estimate yearly splint production for specific patient groups.

Main Results:

• A significant number of dentists fabricate dental splints for patients with bruxism, myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome, and TMJ pain.
• Estimates of the annual splint output for each of these disorders were provided.
• The findings indicate substantial use of dental splints in managing these conditions.

Conclusions:

• Dental splints are widely used by dentists to treat bruxism, myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome, and TMJ pain.
• The study provides valuable estimates of the annual fabrication of dental splints for these conditions.
• Further research can explore treatment efficacy and patient outcomes associated with splint therapy.