Abstract: BACKGROUND: Occlusal therapy, with a long history, is a conservative treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders. However, its efficacy is still controversial. Patients undergoing occlusal therapy are prone to relapse. Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved good results in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders, which has been gradually concerned.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Huoxue Huayu Decoction and Dieda Wanhua Oil hot compress combined with occlusal splint in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders and the effect on the soft tissue tension of the affected side. 
METHODS: Sixty patients with temporomandibular joint disorders who were treated at the Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine from January 2017 to October 2019 were recruited and randomly divided into two groups (n=30 per group): an observation group and a control group. Patients in the control group were treated with an occlusal splint on their upper jaw, while patients in the observation group were treated with Huoxue Huayu Decoction and Dieda Wanhua Oil hot compress based on the use of occlusal splints. The clinical efficacy, degree of mouth opening, temporomandibular joint disorder index (Fricton index), joint tenderness and soft tissue tension were compared between the two groups. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After the treatment of Huoxue Huayu Decoction, Dieda Wanhua Oil, and occlusal splint therapy, the total effective rate of the observation group was 97%, which was higher than that of the control group (73%; P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, there was a significant increase in the number of patients with the mouth opening of 3.0-3.9 cm (P < 0.05). The Fricton index values were decreased in both groups (P < 0.05), and the Fricton index values in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The Visual Analog Scale scores were reduced in both group after treatment (P < 0.05), and the score of tenderness in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The soft tissue tension of patients was increased in the two groups, and the soft tissue tension in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). All these findings indicate that the application of Huoxue Huayu Decoction and Dieda Wanhua Oil hot compress combined with occlusal splint has remarkable effects on temporomandibular joint disorders, which can increase the decrease of mouth opening and reduce the Fricton index, thereby improving the patient’s soft tissue tension on the affected side.

Key words: Huoxue Huayu Decoction, Dieda Wanhua Oil, occlusal splint, temporomandibular joint disorder, soft tissue tension