Participants
bruxism splints, occlusal splints, pain, fractures, injuries
PARTIAL EDENTULISM, TMJ, CHRONIC HEADACHES
Patients entering the outpatient unit of the department were screened for the following eligibility criteria: healthy adults over 18 years of age reporting typical TMD symptoms such as (I) chronic headaches and/or neck pain, (II) cracking/grinding sounds in the TMJ, (III) recurrent pain in the area of the TMJ and/or the surrounding muscles, (IV) functional limitations of the jaw movement. Patients who met at least one of the criteria (II)–(IV) were enrolled into the study. Those solely reporting (I) chronic headaches and/or neck pain were not included in this study due to this criterion being least unique to TMD. Exclusion criteria were patients under 18 years of age, unwillingness to participate in the study, partial edentulism (one or more teeth missing in the dental arch), patients with all types of removable partial dentures, and ongoing orthodontic treatment. Patients with a history of surgical interventions, fractures, or other injuries in the area of the TMJ or jaws were also excluded from this study. None of the patients were being treated with bruxism splints at the time they were included into the study or had previous treatment with occlusal splints within the past 2 years.