The use of an oral orthotic, called an occlusal splint, has gained recognition for the potential to reduce the frequency of tics for individuals with Persistent Tic Disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a fully blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the safety, tolerability and initial efficacy of the oral orthotic in youth with chronic tics. Thirteen youth were randomly assigned to wear an active or sham orthotic in a two week double-blind RCT, with a 4–6 week unblinded follow up period. A statistically significant difference was found for change in tic severity between participants wearing the active and sham orthotic. However, this difference was not replicated during the follow up period. The oral orthotic is a promising intervention for the reduction of tics in youth with Tourette’s Syndrome and is worthy of continued study to establish intervention efficacy and mechanism of action.

使用称为咬合夹板的口腔矫形器已获得认可，因为它有可能减少持续性抽动障碍患者的抽动频率。本研究的目的是评估一项完全盲法、随机对照试验 (RCT) 的可行性，以评估口腔矫形器在患有慢性抽动症的青年中的安全性、耐受性和初步疗效。在为期两周的双盲 RCT 中，13 名青少年被随机分配佩戴主动或假矫形器，并进行 4-6 周的非盲随访。发现佩戴主动矫形器和假矫形器的参与者之间抽动严重程度的变化存在统计学上的显着差异。然而，这种差异在随访期间没有被复制。