What do systematic reviews say?

Stabilisation splint (SS) vs Jaw exercises

• Stabilisation splint therapy for temporomandibular pain dysfunction syndrome 2004 · Cochrane All outcomes

  up to 6 months
  SS vs jaw exercises (Magnusson 1999): overall improvement at 3 months and greater than 3 months; no statistically significant between-group difference; a follow-up questionnaire 1 to 4 years later showed a lasting…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Occlusal splint vs Behavioural therapy (counselling, CBT, relaxation, self-care management)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 4 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs acupuncture

Occlusal splint showed no clear difference in range of mandibular motion compared with acupuncture; GRADE not reported.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term · Myofascial pain TMD
  MD 5.54 [-8.06, 19.13]
  2 studies · 67 participants
  GRADE not reported

Occlusal splint vs Behavioural therapy (counselling, CBT, relaxation, self-care management)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 4 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Behavioural therapy (counselling, CBT, relaxation, self-care management)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 4 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training, laser, TENS, manual therapy)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 3 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs acupuncture

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 5 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 6 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 6 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 6 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

It is very uncertain whether occlusal splint changes self-reported joint pain when chewing compared with pharmacological therapy (very low certainty).

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (3 months) · Osteoarthritis
  RR 2.10 [0.83, 5.30]
  1 study · 29 participants
  Very low

Occlusal splint vs Physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training, laser, TENS, manual therapy)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 3 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 6 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training, laser, TENS, manual therapy)

Occlusal splint showed no clear difference in depression compared with physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training,…; GRADE not reported.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term · Disc displacement with reduction (DDwR)
  MD -0.25 [-0.52, 0.02]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Occlusal splint vs acupuncture

It is very uncertain whether occlusal splint changes muscle pain when chewing compared with acupuncture (very low certainty).

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (1 month) · Myofascial pain TMD
  MD 0.10 [-0.80, 1.00]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

Occlusal splint vs Physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training, laser, TENS, manual therapy)

It is very uncertain whether occlusal splint changes severity of joint noise compared with physical therapy (ultrasound, exercise, sensorimotor training,… (very low certainty).

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Long term (4 months) · Mixed TMD
  MD 5.92 [0.18, 11.66]
  1 study · 20 participants
  Very low

Occlusal splint vs Behavioural therapy (counselling, CBT, relaxation, self-care management)

It is very uncertain whether occlusal splint changes joint pain at rest compared with behavioural therapy (counselling, CBT, relaxation, self-care… (very low certainty).

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (1 month) · Mixed TMD
  MD -2.59 [-4.21, -0.97]
  1 study · 39 participants
  Very low

Occlusal splint vs acupuncture

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 5 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Listed in Summary of findings 6 as 'Not reported'; this outcome was not reported by any included study for this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Occlusal splint vs Pharmacological therapy

Occlusal splint showed no clear difference in range of mandibular motion compared with pharmacological therapy; GRADE not reported.

• Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term · Mixed TMD
  MD -2.95 [-6.87, 0.97]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported