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Confection of an Occlusal Stability Intra-Oral Device for Violin Players

Agostinho  Martins dos Santos and João Carlos Pinho

Confection of an Occlusal Stability Intra-Oral Device for Violin Players

Idealization and confection of an intra-oral device capable of providing occlusal stability and muscle tension relief referred by the violin players. Dental impression of both teeth arches, face bow register as well as a register of the intermaxillary relation, in their most usual playing position, were made from the violinists for assemble of the teeth casts in the Protar 7 articulator. The individualized intra-oral device was made with the Erko-Loc Pro 3mm plates. The device was adjusted in the articulator at first and then intra orally with the T-scan device during violin playing. We achieved a device capable of avoiding teeth grinding, muscular tension relief, during violin playing, and a sensation of stability by having all teeth contacting. We concluded that the usage of an intra-oral device might prove to be effective in reducing muscle hypertonia and preventing temporomandibular disorders, due to the improvements in occlusal stability given with same intensity contacts throughout all the teeth as well as a relief in symptoms of orofacial muscle pain. To clarify these concepts there is a need for more studies. The study of the mandibular cinematic has implications on different areas of dental medicine. Movement patterns depend on the muscles, temporomandibular joint and associated structures. Violin players rotate the mandible to the side in which they rest the violin to better stabilize it with the shoulder. This lateral position can be harmful to the masticatory muscles and to the temporomandibular joint.