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Several methods are currently used to manage pain related to temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Vibratory stimulation is applied as a pain treatment for several musculoskeletal disorders, but it has not yet been studied in-depth for TMD symptoms. The aim of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of at-home local vibration therapy (LVT) for the management of TMDs-related myofascial pain. Methods. Fifty-four TMD patients (43 F, 11 M) with an average age of 40.7 (age range: 29–54 yr.) were randomly subdivided into two groups. The study group (AG) received 1 week of at-home LVT treatment with the NOVAFON Pro Sk2/2 : 50/100 Hz, bilaterally applied to the pain area for 16 minutes daily. The placebo group (IG) followed the same protocol using inactive devices. Temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ), muscular pain (MM), and headache (HA) were assessed. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) before (T0) and after therapy (T1). Statistical analysis and Student’s t-tests were applied (statistical significance for P < 0.05 ). Results. AG patients reported decreased average values for all types of pain considered between T0 and T1, with a statistically significant difference for TMJ pain ( P < 0.05 ), MM pain, and HA ( P < 0.001 ). IG patients reported a no statistically significant decrease in the average values of MM pain and an increase in the average values of TMJ pain and HA. Conclusion. The study supports the use of local vibration therapy in the control of TMD-related TMJ pain, local muscular pain, and headache.

The study presents two monozygotic twins (MZ) with multiple impacted teeth, affecting the upper canines and lower second molars, as well as congenital aniridia. The clinical aspect of the upper canines is peculiar because of the different positions—palatal in one and buccal in the other twin. Studies reporting different scenarios of impaction in monozygotic twins can contribute more data to the debate on tooth eruption aetiology and more so in this case because of the association with a genetic panocular disease. Patients’ Concerns. The patients were referred by a general dentist, who diagnosed the presence of multiple inclusions. Diagnostic Study. Both patients showed severe malocclusion, classified as grade 5 of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). The MZ showed class I malocclusion, upper and lower crowding, and impacted lower right and left second molars. A Dentascan was prescribed for the canine impaction. The impaction of the upper canine was palatal of 2.3 in one of the MZ and buccal of 1.3 in the other one. The same altered pattern of eruption of the lower second molars was identified in both twins. The proposed treatment plan contemplated orthodontic surgical recovery of the impacted elements, followed by orthodontic treatment with multibracket appliance after the extraction of the first four premolars, given the crowding entity. The use of a retraction spring action was chosen for the recovery of the lower second molars. Many aspects of the possible genetic aetiology of tooth impaction are still under discussion. The study of diseases in twins offers decisive information. Finally, the possibility that alterations in the eruptive pattern of the dental elements may be associated with other congenital problems broadens the range of investigations related to the possible aetiological causes of the inclusions in humans.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility of a systematic protocol for the choice and management of occlusal splints (OA) in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Materials and Methods: A longitudinal retrospective study was conducted. Two different samples, G1 + G2 (337 patients), between January 2011 and January 2014, were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. G1 was composed of patients visited at Policlinico Umberto I, Head-Neck Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and patients in G2 visited at a private structure in Rome. Pain records and functionality were compared before (T0) and at the end of therapy (T1). A follow-up group, composed of 100 patients randomly selected among those who completed treatment for at least 1 year (T2), was analyzed and symptomatology records were compared. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: In the entire sample, joint and muscular pain, joint noises and mandibular functionality, headache, and neck pain improved from T0 to T2. The average time for articular and muscular recovery was 6.4 months. Comparing treatment outcomes, there were not statistically significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions: Treatment outcomes using this setting of protocol showed a positive trend also in the medium term. The use of a systematic protocol seems to reduce operator-dependent factors.

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Purpose. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three acupuncture methods for temporomandibular disorders- (TMDs-) related pain. Materials and Methods. Different locations of pain, according to DC/TMD clinical assessment, were considered: temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, head, and neck. Sixty patients were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups (20 patients in each): group BA received body acupuncture, group EA received electroacupuncture, and group CA received acupuncture + cupping. The groups were compared in terms of pain (verbal numeric scale), pain-related disability (Brief Inventory Pain, BPI), and impression of the treatment’s effectiveness (Patients' Global Impression of Improvement Scale, PGI-I). These were recorded before sessions of acupuncture treatment (T0), after 8 sessions of acupuncture treatment (T1), and after 4 weeks of follow-up after treatment (T2). The between-group and within-group differences in the data were analyzed statistically. The baseline characteristics were similar in all groups ( p > 0.05 ). Results. Significant improvements were noted in all types of pain compared to baseline values in all groups (all p < 0.05 ). No significant differences were noted in the improvement of TMDs-related pain according to the different acupuncture techniques (all p > 0.05 ). All acupuncture methods used resulted to be significantly effective in improving the pain-related interference in the patient’s common activities and quality of life. EA resulted to be significantly more effective than BA and CA in improving the interference of pain with patients’ mood ( p = 0.015 ) and quality of sleep ( p = 0.014 ). Conclusion. BA, EA, and CA are all effective acupuncture methods in reducing pain and pain interference with common activities and quality of life in patients affected by TMD.

Background: The permanent maxillary canine is the most impacted tooth after third molars. There are many possible surgical techniques to approach impacted canines. The literature reports that high-intensity laser therapies (HILTs) can be used for opercolectomy of an impacted tooth. The aim of this study is to propose a new orthodontic-surgical approach using a laser for the disinclusion of palatally impacted canines. Methods: Nine patients presented maxillary primary canine persistence in the dental arch. Orthopanoramic X-ray and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) showed the impaction of permanent maxillary canines. Surgical exposure was performed using a diode laser (Raffaello, DMT, Lissone, Italy, 980 nm + 645 nm). No orthodontic devices were applied for impacted tooth traction. Canine movement was monitored at 1, 8, 16 weeks post-surgery with photos and a CS3500 intraoral scanner (Carestream Dental, Atlanta USA) to evaluate their autonomous eruption. Results: No complications were observed. In all the cases, complete disimpaction of the treated canines was obtained in only four months. Conclusions: Impacted canine exposure with a diode laser has many advantages if compared with traditional surgery. The pre-orthodontic exposure and autonomous eruption of impacted canines provided simplified and predictable outcomes. The absence of traction and the reduced time for orthodontic treatment increased compliance during the orthodontic alignment.

Introduction: Several methods are commonly used to decrease orthodontic pain, but versatile tools and standardized protocols are still lacking. Objective: In response to the need for alternatives to conventional analgesic methods, this study evaluates the analgesic effects of auriculotherapy (AT) during the first three months of fixed orthodontic treatment. Methods: A sample of 36 subjects was selected, with patients randomly allocated into two homogeneous groups, Study Group (SG) and Control Group (CG), depending on the application/non-application of AT. Patients rated their pain scores monthly from 0 to 10, on visual analogue scales (VAS) at the time of bonding (T0) and again at two appliance adjustments (T1 and T2). At each of these treatment phases, VAS was applied in six different time moments (TM): immediately before, immediately after, after 4 hours, after 8 hours, after 24 hours, and after 72h hours. Descriptive statistical analysis, a Student’s t-test, and a Chi-square test were applied to the collected data (statistical significance for p< 0.05). Results: SG patients reported lower pain levels than CG patients, both at T0, T1 and T2. Moreover, average pain intensity values were lower in the SG for all TM analyzed, with the t-test significant (p< 0.05) for most TMs. Conclusion: AT was effective in the pain treatment of patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Further studies are needed with a sham control group to confirm the validity of these results.