A Study on the Masticatory Efficiency after Treament for Temporomandibular Disorders

측두하악장애 치료후 저작능률에 관한 연구

This study was performed to investigate the masicatory efficiency in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), especially internal derangement of temporomandibular (TM) joint. For this study, 26 patients after treatment and 33 dental students who had no signs and symptoms of TMDs were selected as the patients group and as the normal group, respectively. Mean treatment duration of the patients was. 5.1 months. Verbal rating scale(VRS) and Visual analogue scale(VAS) were used for recording of subjective symptoms. Treatment index (VAS Ti) derived from VAS was calculated for evaluation of treatment progress and clinical examination was also performed for objective symptoms. BioEGN(Bioresearch Inc., Milwaukee, USA) was used for observation chewing movement pattern on peanut, caramel candy, and gum chewing. Chewing time in second and symptoms after chewing were recorded, and pattern of chewing stroke between in affected side and in contralateral side or between in right in left side were compared, and especially, gum chewing pattern between before and after treatment were also compared in the patients group. The data obtained were analysed by SPSS windows program and the results of this study were as follows : 1. Subjective symptoms evaluated by VAS showed no difference between the two groups, but those by VRS showed slight difference for TM joint pain, head not neck symptoms, and chewing ability. 2. There were no difference at the level of subjective symptoms between the subgroups divided by treatment duration of five months in the patients group. However, value of VAS Ti of pain was higher in subgroup of long treatment duration than that of subgroup of short treatment duration. 3. There were no difference in chewing time for peanut or caramel candy between the two groups, but on caramel candy chewing, the patients group complained slight discomfort after swallowing. Chewing velocity and range of motion on gum chewing after treatment in the patients group showed significant difference and greatly improved compared to those to before treatment, and which were not differ from those of normal subjects. In conclusion, treatment of temporomandibular disorders about for five months would greatly improve chewing ability and movement pattern in most of the patients with TMDs.