Response to occlusal treatment in headache patients previously treated by mock occlusal adjustment

Abstract

Headache patients who had received mock occlusal adjustment and who, after the placebo treatment, were judged to have moderate to severe mandibular dysfunction were offered further treatment. The present study reports the results of occlusal treatment in 19 patients who were willing to undergo further treatment. Statistically significant reduction after occlusal treatment (occlusal adjustment, aided in some cases by temporary use of occlusal splints) was observed in clinical signs (P<0.05) and subjective symptoms (P<0.01) of mandibular dysfunction and in the frequency of headache (P < 0.05). The results are complementary to our earlier clinical studies and corroborate the conclusion that improvements after occlusal treatment exceed those after placebo treatment. Occlusal equilibration; placebo effect; temporomandibular joint syndrome