Volume 20 - Issue 1

An epidemiological sample of 114 subjects was followed longitudinally from the age of 15 to 35 years with regard to treatment received, treatment demand, and treatment need for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Some kind of TMD treatment had been provided to 18% of the subjects during the 20-year follow-up period. Eighty-five percent of those who had received previous TMD treatment reported that the treatment had had a positive effect on their symptoms. The estimated present need ...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the short-term effect of arthrocentesis on temporomandibular joint disturbance of mouth closure with loud clicking compared to the effect of one-time pumping into the joint space previous to arthrography. Twenty-one consecutive patients (22 joints) with loud clicking during mouth closure were enrolled. All were unable to smoothly close the mouth without effort. Eleven patients (12 joints) were examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine disk position ...

In a previous study, exercise and manual therapy demonstrated a 90% success rate in patients with osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joints in the short-term. The aim of this follow-up study was to assess the long-term effect of these treatment modalities. Seventeen patients were evaluated. All patients suffered from osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joints with pain in the temporomandibular joint at baseline and were treated successfully in a prior short-term study. The parameters were pain at ...

Application of superficial moist heat has been shown to have a beneficial effect on Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) symptoms and is often recommended for patients with this disorder. A review of the literature shows that few studies have compared the effects of moist to dry heat. Throughout this study, moist and dry heat were applied through a commercial heating pad alternately for 20 minute intervals. The application sequence was randomized and all individuals received both moist ...

The purpose of this retrospective chart review was to determine if external manipulation of the cranium alters selected parameters of the cranial vault and base that can be visualized and measured on x-ray. Twelve adult patient charts were randomly selected to include patients who had received cranial vault manipulation treatment with a pre- and post-treatment x-ray taken with the head in a fixed positioning device. The degree of change in angle between various specified cranial ...

This study was conducted in order to determine the effect of vertical dimension variation on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. The study was performed on 15 healthy subjects. Basal tonic electromyographic (BT-EMG) recordings were performed by placing surface electrodes on the left sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. BT EMG activity was recorded upon varying the vertical dimension every five millimeters from vertical dimension of occlusion to 45 millimeters of jaw opening ...

Contracture of the jaw-closing muscles is one of the causes of limitation of jaw opening. This study examined whether there is any difference between the EMG activities of jaw-closing muscles during jaw opening in healthy people and in patients with masseter muscle contracture (MMC), who do not have a history of trauma or infection. The patient group consisted of eleven females, 18 to 62 years old with no history of trauma or infections, with limited ...

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a passive jaw motion device, the Therabite, and wooden tongue depressors (WTD), in patients with temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, who did not improve after manual manipulation of the mandible and flat bite plane therapy. Forty-three patients were enrolled in the study and were classified as joint or muscle groups according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. Twenty-four were assigned to the joint group, and ...

This report is based on a case of temporomandibular joint ankylosis discovered in a cadaver during routine student dissection in the Department of Anatomy at Tokyo Dental College. Extensive osseous ankylosis in the left temporomandibular joint was evident in this case which exhibited a distinctive bird-like facial deformity caused by a mandibular growth disorder. This resulted in the underdevelopment of the mental area in particular. Furthermore, abnormally enlarged antegonal notching was present along the inferior ...