Case report of an osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint patient whose posterior open bite was successfully restored by occlusal bonding method

PATIENT: The patient was a 50-year-old woman who complained of left temporomandibular joint pain during mastication and wide mouth opening. The diagnosis of this patient was bilateral osteoarthritis in temporomandibular joint; therefore maxillary full-arch stabilization appliance (SA) was delivered. In response, the TMD signs and symptoms were alleviated. However she subsequently complained of dysfunction of mastication due to anterior and posterior open bite. Sometime thereafter, after applying SA and provisional adhesion onlay, occlusal reconstruction was performed by means of porcelain direct-bonding onlay. DISCUSSION: After 6 years follow-up, there were no failure finding on the porcelain direct-bonding onlay, no occlusal alteration, and no complaint of TMD signs and symptoms. CONCLUSION: This direct-bonding adhesion prosthetic approach contributed not only to prevent aggravation of osteoarthritis but also to elevate QOL of this patient.