Recent advance in appliances and materials enhancing therapy of disorders of the stomatognathic system

Purpose: Dysfunctions of the stomatognathic system are treated with a lot of appliances. The aim of the work was to evaluate the current state in the field of diagnostic techniques and technological advance in appliances and materials enhancing therapy of occlusion disorders of the stomatognathic system. Design/methodology/approach: The principles of appliances functioning, manufacturing technology and materials were analysed. The analysis was made on the basis of the literature review and patent databases, conducting searches for a combination of keywords: dental material, occlusion, disorder, bruxism, clenching, grinding, appliance, therapy, tongue, oral, exerciser, trainer, mandible muscle, bite splint, dental plate. In the case of principles of functioning, devices that require insertion into the mouth are included in the tests. In technology and materials, attention has been paid to necessity of involving a dental technician or ability to perform appliance intra-orally ("chairside"), as well as mass production with possibility of custom fit. Findings: The most widespread in the treatment of disorders of the stomatognathic system are thermoformed materials and devices that are introduced between the dental arches to counteract occlusions of all teeth or selected teeth or force the position of the mandible in relation to the maxilla. Devices that function differently are those in which therapeutic effects result from toning of activity of the elevating mandibular muscles by provoking activity of the opposing muscles lowering the mandible or reducing intra-oral space, for example, by sublingual plates or tongue trainers. Appliances are mainly manufactured of: poly (ethylenevinyl acetate) or polycarbonates, as also mouldable polymers such as: acrylics, polyesters and rubbers. Research limitations/implications: Electronic devices that are not intended to therapy but used only to track mandible mobility or muscle activity during sleep were not taken into account. Practical implications: Solutions activating the action of the opposing muscles to the muscles lifting the mandible are few, and among them one device is retained on teeth without interfering in occlusion. Originality/value: Dental materials for devices for treatment of occlusion disorders are selected with no understanding the influence of elastic and frictional material properties and structure stiffness on the distribution of occlusion forces between the teeth and reactions in temporo-mandibular