TMJ Disorders Incidence and Analysis of a Flat Stabilization Splint as Its Therapy

Abstract

In this research, temporomandibular disorder signs and symptoms incidence were detected in two groups of patients. Group I was composed of 40 patients (23,9%) who presented TMJ disorders drawn out of a 167 patients universe that were referred to be treated in the Dental Clinics of the State University of Londrina; Group II was composed by 24 individuals (48%) which presented TMJ disorders, selected from a larger group of 50 Dental College students of the same University. The clinical and anamnesis examination were performed according to the International Society of Head Symptoms (IHS) criteria for diagnosis and classification of headaches, cranial neuralgias and facial pain, associated with the TMJ disorders Research Diagnosis Criteria. The diagnosed signs and symptoms in both groups, supported by the criteria mentioned above, consisted of patients presenting TMJ and/or masticatory muscles pain, movement limitation while opening and closing the mouth, even with mandibular locking, irradiated facial, neck and shoulders pain, a painful click or crepitation while opening the mouth, stimulated pain while yawning, chewing or wide opening the mouth, bruxism and pain related to occlusal problems. Only in Group I it was also analyzed the effectiveness of a hard acrylic flat stabilization splint use in the control of the presented signs and symptoms, as a reversible occlusal therapy, which showed to be efficient in all cases, eliminating pain symptoms.