Successful therapy for temporomandibular pain alters anterior insula and cerebellar representations of occlusion.

Aim: Craniomandibular disorders (CMD) are widespread, but we know little about the cerebral representations associated with this pain syndrome and nothing about changes in cerebral representations of occlusion induced by common therapy approaches.

Methods: In a longitudinal therapy study, we applied functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 14 patients with mild CMD during occlusal movements. fMRI, pain scoring, kinematic investigations of occlusal movements, and jaw muscle electromyography (EMG) were measured before and after two weeks of therapy with an individually optimized Michigan splint.

Changes in cortical activation in craniomandibular disorders during splint therapy - a single subject fMRI study.

There is some controversial discussion within the therapy of craniomandibular disorders (CMDs) about the mode of action of occlusal splints. Here we present a case report on one CMD-patient measuring cerebral activation changes with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after therapy with a stabilization splint. Wearing the Michigan splint for 11 nights and partially days resulted in substantial pain relief and changes in occlusal movement performance.