Objective: The aim of the present randomized controlled trial was to investigate whether a self-managed home exercise program is equivalent to relaxation splint therapy in terms of pain reduction during the initial phase of treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Materials and methods: 32 patients were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to relaxation splint or home exercise therapy groups, respectively. The former group received relaxation splints fabricated to the patient’s jaw position in habitual occlusion with anterior-canine guidance and occlusal surface adjustment. The home exercise group was given a copy of the ‘Oral Physiotherapy’ DVD and instructed to perform the exercises demonstrated on the DVD three times a day.
Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed significant improvement in the outcome measures of pain, performance impairment, and number of sites with pain on palpation. The target of at least 30% pain reduction was achieved by 62.5% of patients in the relaxation splint group and by 68.8% of those in the home exercise group. Comparative analysis showed no clinically significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05) and no inferiority of the instructional DVD compared with splint therapy for any of the outcome measures.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that self-management of TMD pain by means of home physiotherapy exercises is as effective as relaxation splint therapy.