Introduction: Bite splints are used in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders with symptoms of facial muscle pain, sounds and pain in the jaw joint, limited mouth opening and asymmetry of the jaw movements. Main goals of occlusal splint treatment are to stabilize the unstable occlusion, to protect the teeth and relieve tense chewing muscles which influence the onset of pain and presence of headaches. The most frequently used bite splint is stabilization splint which is primarily used to stabilize and prevent parafunctional activity (of bruxism). Providing optimum occlusion with the use of bite splints has a strong influence on the reduction of unusual muscle activity and help to establish neuromuscular harmony in the masticatory system. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis was to research the existing literature on the subject of the bite splints, to present the operation and effective use of the bite splints and to describe the process of manufacturing of three bite splints - stabilization, anterior repositioning and soft splint. Methods: For the purposes of the research, the extant topical literature review was conducted relevant to the subject matter, i.e. the bite splints and the effects of the splints on temporomandibular disorders. The literature searched was in English with the keywords bite splints, stabilization splint, anterior repositioning splint, soft splint and the effects of temporomandibular disorders. Results: Laboratory manufacturing of stabilization splint, anterior repositioning splint and soft splint by laboratory stages from the production of gypsum working model from alginate imprints of the upper and lower jaws, design of the bite splints by use of a paralometer and modelling of the stabilization splint in wax for hot polymerization of heat-cured acrylic or modelling of the wax border of anterior repositioning splint for cold-cured acrylic. Following step is manufacturing of vacuum-formed (thermoformed) soft splint and manufacturing of stabilization splint of heat-cured acrylic and anterior repositioning splint of cold polymerization acrylic. The last step is to adjust the occlusion by checking the occlusal contacts and jaw movements in laterotrusion and protrusion. Discussion and conclusion: The initial discomfort and feeling of tightness diminish with the time bite splints are worn. The effects of bite splint treatment are to reduce pain in the jaw joint and muscles, to reduce the appearance of sounds in the jaw joint, to improve limited jaw movement and maximize mouth opening. The comparison of all three bite splints shows that, according to the patient, the soft splint is the most comfortable, while hard acrylic stabilization splint causes a feeling of tightness and discomfort on teeth.
|
