Volume 30 - Issue 2

Are you a statistic? Do you have pain in your neck, your shoulders, your hands, or your lower back? Does pain prevent you from being able to perform the procedures necessary to treat clients? Do you avoid certain activities because they are too painful? Have you limited your practice or stopped practicing as a result of pain?

Pain is the number one symptom resulting in physician visits, impairments, and subsequent disabilities.^1-3 Hayes, et al ...

Those of you who have practiced in the field of Craniofacial Pain for as long as I, know that our ongoing quest for knowledge has never been an easy one. It has taken staunch commitment to search out fact and, often times, separate it from fiction.

We have journeyed to every corner of the United States to sit at the feet of the “guru du jour,” hoping to extract every parcel of information that he ...

A randomized controlled trial was performed to compare the short-term effectiveness of botulinum toxin injections and physiatric treatment provided by means of Fascial Manipulation techniques in the management of myofascial pain of jaw muscles. Thirty patients with a Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) diagnosis of myofascial pain were randomized to receive either single-session botulinum toxin injections (Group A) or multiple-session Fascial Manipulation (Group B). Maximum pain levels (VAS ratings) and jaw range ...

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the pattern of age distribution of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and to identify prevalence peaks for the different diagnoses. The study sample (N = 383; F:M ratio = 3.9; mean age range 41.7±17 years) consisted of patients seeking treatment for TMD and who were assessed in accordance with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) version 1.0 guidelines.1 The sample was ...

The aim of this study was to examine contemporary human skull material for possible differences between Caucasians and African-Americans in respect to size and form of the temporomadibular condyles. The material consisted of a total of 129 Caucasian skulls (94 males and 35 females) and 76 African-American skulls (40 males and 36 females). Their mean age at death was 46 years for the Caucasians (range: 19-89 years) and 37 years for the African-Americans (range: 18-70 ...

The authors assessed the subjective symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in 167 young patients using self-reported forms, with five ratings for pain intensity and six ratings for difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL), to compare TMD symptoms according to gender and three age groups: group 1: 6- to 12-year-olds (juvenile); group 2: 13- to 15-year-olds (early adolescent); group 3: 16- to 18-year-olds (late adolescent). No significant gender differences were found in the symptoms among ...

The current study investigated the association between temporomandibular disorders, malocclusion patterns, benign joint hypermobility syndrome and the initial condylar position. One hundred sixty-two subjects were analyzed using the Rocabado Temporomandibular Pain Analysis; Helkimo Index parameters; the Carter-Wilkinson modified test; and a mounting cast  with condylar position indicator registration (MPI). The study revealed a significant association between: 1. Delta H, skeletal pattern (p=0.034); 2. Delta Y, transversal malocclusion (p=0.04); 3. right and ...

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a type of orofacial pain that can originate from a number of craniofacial mandibular structures. These include the TM joints, the muscles of mastication, related nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones and teeth. Symptoms include impaired jaw function, TM joint noises and pain, limited opening, often with jaw deviations or deflections to the affected side. Temporal tendinitis is a disorder of the fibrous insertion of the temporalis muscle tendons on the coronoid process ...

Because the study of occlusion is a basic area in dentistry, its components, physiology and integration with the stomatognathic system (SS) have been the subject of interest in the scientific literature. However, the focus given to this issue has changed substantially. Currently, new approaches have been proposed in order to update concepts and to demonstrate the full integration and functionality of this system within the human body. With this approach, the authors proposed the following ...

There are multiple theories as to the causes of coronoid process hyperplasia of the mandible, including trauma, temporalis muscle hyperactivity, hormonal stimulus, and genetic inheritance. The excess growth of the coronoid process can cause impingement on the zygomatic processes and may result in mandibular hypomobility. A case of an excessive unilateral coronoid hyperplasia with suspected traumatic etiology, which was successfully treated by coronoidectomy and postoperative physiotherapy, is presented. The patient was a 21-year-old man whose ...

Schwannomas, also known as neurilemomas or neurilemmomas, are relatively uncommon, slow-growing benign tumors. Whereas, about one-third of all extracranial Schwannomas are found in the head and neck region, a few intraoral Schwannomas are reported in the literature. This article contributes to a review regarding the current literature and the report of a rare case. The literature searches were performed using the National Library of Medicine. Keywords used in the search were: schwannoma or neurilemmoma and ...