[Occlusal splint therapy in reciprocal TMJ clicking. A critical observation within a follow-up study]

During post-treatment examination the effect of splint therapy on 14 temporomandibular joints (TMJ) with anterior disk displacement were examined using clinical and instrumental findings and magnet resonance imaging (MRI) to judge the therapeutical success of the treatment from an orthodontic perspective. A stable reposition of the TMJ disk was achieved in four joints, which showed no relapse over a two-year period of observation. The success of the therapy was dependent on the extent of the tissue damage to the TMJ and also on patient compliance. The MRI yielded therapeutically valuable information, which is not revealed in the clinical-instrumental analysis, on the tissue structure of the disk and the ligaments. In certain cases the use of MRI is necessary to confirm the clinical diagnosis.