The Characteristics of the Old-age Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Syndrome and a Primary Observation of the Treatment with Splint with a Study of Twenty Five Cases

Twenty five patients aged 55—75 with temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome were studied. The symptoms and sings of the old-age patients had their characteristics, such as light pain limited to the area of TMJ, a relatively long history, deviated rather than limited mandibular opening. The diagnosis were made according to clinical examinations, findings of schuller’s position radiographs and CT and they were classified. The outcome of treatment with a full maxillary stabilization splint was good, with the effective rate at 81.7%. We considered the causes of this syndrom in old-age patients to be occlusal interferences, loss in vertical dimension, retrusion of condyle and degeneration of TMJ resulting from serious teeth abrasion.