Presentation Information
[SY-106-01]Oral splint ameliorates tic symptoms in patients with Tourette syndrome
*Jumpei Murakami (Osaka University Dental Hospital(Japan))
Keywords:
Tourette syndrome,Oral Splint,Dentistry
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent motor and phonic tics, often accompanied by premonitory urges and psychiatric comorbidities. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of a custom-made oral splint—commonly used in dental practice for temporomandibular disorders—on tic symptoms in TS patients. A total of 22 individuals with TS were assessed using the Tic Symptom Self-Report. Following oral splint application, mean motor and phonic tic scores significantly decreased from 15.3 to 11.0 and from 15.1 to 8.2, respectively—representing average reduction rates of 30% and 43%. These improvements were observed immediately and were sustained for over 100 days in many cases. Notably, 72.7% of patients showed dual improvements in both motor and phonic tics. Younger age at tic onset and at first hospital visit were significantly associated with long-term treatment efficacy. The splint may serve as a “sensory trick” by modulating proprioceptive input from jaw-closing muscles, potentially influencing insular cortex activity, which is known to be hyperactive in TS. These findings suggest that oral splints could offer a simple, non-pharmacological therapeutic option for managing TS-related tics, particularly in younger patients. Further research is warranted to validate these outcomes and elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms involved.