Effect of a thick palatal appliance on muscular symptoms in craniomandibular disorders: A preliminary study

Several treatment modalities for myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPD) are being used at present. However, from the standpoint of patients' quali ty of life, it would be reasonable to seek a more effective treatment modal ity. This study aimed to show clinical data of a preliminary study regardin g the effect of a thick palatal appliance, designed to fill the palatal con cavity with a thick resin base, on muscular symptoms in eighteen MPD patien ts. Shown here are the clinical results of two patients using palatal appli ances of two different thicknesses. In this study, MPD patients were divide d into the three following groups: 1. no-treatment group; 2. thick palatal appliance group; and 3. medication group. Based on the results of this stud y, it was suggested that the thick palatal appliance could bring about earl y improvement of MPD syndrome. It is suggested that the thickness of the pa latal plate an important factor in obtaining the clinical effect.