Background: Focal embouchure dystonia (FED) is a type of task-specific dystonia affecting wind instrument players, and it frequently ends their professional careers. The results of the treatments of FED in the reported literature are disappointing. Objective: We report 3 patients with FED who were brass instrument players. In 1 patient, we evaluated the usefulness of a dental splint. Methods and Results: Patient 1 was a 28-year-old trumpeter who was suffering from an intermittent tremor of the lower jaw. Following the usage of a dental splint, her symptoms disappeared completely. Patient 2 was a 29-year-old horn player with atonia of the lower facial muscles. In this case, medication with various drugs brought no benefit, and he ended his career. Patient 3 was a 43-year-old trombone player who suffered involuntary contractions and relaxation of the perioral muscles along with clumsiness of tongue movement. Extraction of double teeth and long-term cessation of playing for 20 years did not bring any positive effects. Conclusion: We propose that FED can be categorized into three subgroups according to masticatory, facial and lingual types, and that the dental splint might be a useful therapeutic strategy for the masticatory type of FED.

Keywords:
Focal embouchure dystonia, Sensory trick, Dental splint
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© 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel
2011
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