Psychological and Clinical Outcomes of Splint Therapy with and Without Doctor-Patient Communication in TMD Management

Psychological and Clinical Outcomes After Splint Therapy with Versus Without Doctor-patient Communication Concept in the Management of TMDs

This study aimed to evaluate the psychological and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing splint therapy with or without enhanced doctor-patient communication in the management of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The study compared treatment approaches to determine their impact on patient satisfaction and clinical results.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are prevalent conditions characterized by jaw pain, functional limitations, and psychological distress. This study investigated the impact of splint therapy combined with enhanced doctor-patient communication on psychological well-being and clinical outcomes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive standard splint therapy or splint therapy with additional doctor-patient communication strategies. The primary outcomes include clinical and psychological status improvements, measured over six months, and patient satisfaction, assessed over a one-year period. The results aimed to provide insights into optimizing treatment strategies for TMD patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients complaining of pain in the orofacial region (either arthrogenous and/or myogenous TMD) in the last 3 months, who never underwent any type of treatment for TMD's.
• Age ≥16 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who have already undergone any treatment for TMD's, edentulous patients,
• patients with any systemic disease that could cause joint and/or muscle changes,
• patients who were undergoing drug treatment for the condition, current pregnancy, or breastfeeding.