Twenty-four patients were selected to participate in this study. Twelve patients were randomly selected to receive occlusal splint therapy and the other 12 to receive a simplified relaxation therapy technique. Observable pain scores, maximum comfortable interincisal distance, and maximum interincisal distances were recorded for each group before and after treatment. The occlusal splint group showed a significant decrease in total mean observable pain scores (-10.5, t = 3.124; p < 0.1). The relaxation group showed no significant decrease in total mean observable pain scores (-1.8, t = 0.888; p = ns). The occlusal splint group showed a significant increase in the mean maximum comfortable opening (+12.4 mm, t = 5.085; p < 0.01). The relaxation group showed no significant increase in the mean maximum comfortable opening (+2.3 mm, t = 0.734; p = ns). The occlusal splint group showed a significant increase in the mean maximum opening (+6.0 mm, t = 2.471; p < 0.05). The relaxation group showed no increase in the mean maximum opening (-0.7 mm, t = 0.343; p = ns). This study suggests that occlusal splint therapy is a more effective treatment for the pain, tenderness, and limited mandibular opening associated with temporomandibular disorders than relaxation therapy. In this study, the relaxation technique used had no significant effect on the patients' pain, tenderness, or limited opening.

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