PATIENTS WITH TMD IN DEVELOPMENTAL AGE AND CORRELATION WITH MALOCCLUSIONS: A TRANSVERSAL PILOT STUDY

M. Macrì¹, G. Caccianiga²* F. Festa¹, M.S. Mancarella³ and P. Caccianiga²

¹Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy;
²School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy;
³Private practitioner, Milan, Italy

*Correspondence to:
Gianluigi Caccianiga, DDS
School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca,
Via Cadore 48,
20900 Monza, Italy
e-mail: gianluigi.caccianiga@unimib.it

Received: 16 August 2019 Accepted: 3 October 2019

ISSN: 2038-4106 This publication and/or article is for individual use only and may not be further reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction may result in financial and other penalties. Disclosure: All authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the prevalence of different symptoms and signs in a population of children and adolescents with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), on evaluating the correlation with occlusal variables. TMD signs and symptoms were recorded in 40 subjects (age range 5-15 years), divided into two groups: 20 subjects treated in Chieti (Italy) and 20 in Murcia (Spain). Once the Angle dental class was identified, it was recorded for each patient the signs and/or symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunctions and occlusal interferences. The percentages of signs and symptoms were compared using the χ2-test to determine the differences among the groups for the rates of TMD symptoms, bruxism, joint sounds, deviation during the opening, reduced opening/lateral/protrusive movements, malocclusions, and myofascial pain. There is no statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ2=2.849, p>0.05). Subjects with first dental or skeletal class and deep bite showed a higher prevalence of TMD symptoms. According to the literature, a deep bite is more linked to TMD problems rather than the first skeletal or dental class.

 KEYWORDS: temporomandibular disorders, orthodontics, malocclusion