Orthodontic treatment for the TMJ patient following splint therapy to stabilize a displaced disk(s): a systemized approach. Part I, TMJ orthodontic diagnosis.

Orthodontic treatment for a patient who has had a displaced disk or disks and has been stabilized by anterior repositioning splint therapy presents the dentist with a difficult orthodontic problem. Frequently, there is a posterior open bite present, with the anterior teeth only occluding in the stabilized TMJ position upon removal of the splint. The current articles (Part I of II presented here) will present an organized TMJ/orthodontic diagnosis (Part I) and orthodontic treatment method (Part II, to be presented in the next journal) to properly treat these patients to a consistent stabilized occlusion compatible with the TMJ splint stabilized position.