Treatment Outcomes of Temporomandibular Disorders Using Stabilization Splint Supported by the T-scan System

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the treatment outcomes of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) using stabilization splints (SS) supported by the T-scan system at Hanoi Medical University Hospital.

Materials and Methods

A clinical, non-controlled intervention study was conducted from May 2023 to October 2024. A total of 36 patients (7 male, 29 female) diagnosed with TMD according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) were included. All patients received treatment with stabilization splints, and the T-scan system (Tekscan, Norwood, MA, USA) was employed to assist in adjusting occlusal contacts and force distribution of the SS. Clinical outcomes, including pain scores (visual analog scale, VAS), mouth opening range (maximum comfortable opening, MCO), occlusal time (OT), and disocclusion time (DT), were recorded and compared at 1 and 3 months.

Results

Significant improvements in pain reduction and mouth opening were observed at both 1 and 3 months of treatment. The T-scan data showed a reduction in both OT and DT after 1 month.

Conclusion

The use of stabilization splints supported by the T-scan system appears to be an effective treatment for TMD, significantly reducing pain and improving mouth opening range (MCO). Although the T-scan system provides valuable insights into occlusal contacts and force distribution, further controlled studies are needed to fully assess its role in optimizing occlusal adjustments during SS treatment.

Keywords

temporomandibular disorders - stabilization splints - T-scan system - pain reduction

Ethical Approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board for Ethics in Biomedical Research, Hanoi Medical University (No. 177/QD-VDTRHM). All patients were fully informed about the nature of the study, the procedures involved, and their right to withdraw at any time. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before inclusion in the study. Confidentiality and anonymity were maintained for all collected data.

Disclosure Statement

Part of the data presented in this manuscript was previously published in: Nguyen, A. T., Hoàng, V. H., Hoàng, K. L., & Đinh, H. A. (2025). Kết quả điều trị rối loạn thái dương hàm bằng máng nhai ổn định có sử dụng T-scan hỗ trợ. Tạp chí Y học Việt Nam, 546(3). Permission has been obtained from Tạp chí Y học Việt Nam.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
15. Juli 2025

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