The objective of this study was to determine whether the muscle activity at various mandibular positions is affected by age and dental status. Thirty edentulous subjects (E), 20 young dentate individuals (G1) and 20 older dentate individuals (G2) participated in this study. Surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings were obtained from the anterior temporal (T), masseter (M) and depressor muscles (D). Muscle activity was recorded during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), maximal opening (O(max)) and in six different mandibular positions. One way anova and the Bonferroni tests were used to determine the differences between groups. Significant differences between the three tested groups were found at MVC and O(max) for all examined muscles (P < 0.001). The differences in muscle activity in dentate subjects of different age were found in protrusion for depressor muscles (P < 0.05) and in lateral excursive positions for the working side temporal (P < 0.05) and non-working side masseter and depressor muscle (P < 0.05). There was a significant effect regarding the presence of natural teeth or complete dentures in protrusion and maximal protrusion for all muscles (P < 0.05) and in lateral excursive positions for non-working side temporal (P < 0.05) and working side masseter muscle (P < 0.05). Muscle activity at various mandibular positions depends greatly on the presence of the prosthetic appliance, as edentulous subjects had to use higher muscle activity levels (percentages of maximal EMG value) than age matched dentate subjects in order to perform same mandibular movement. Different elevator muscles were preferentially activated in the edentulous subjects when compared with dentate group in lateral excursive positions of the mandible. The pattern of relative muscle activity was not changed because of ageing.

The patient's satisfaction with removable partial denture (RPD) therapy has become an increasingly important factor in prosthetic treatment. This study examined patients' satisfaction with RPDs in relation to some socio-economic variables, patients' habits of wearing and cleaning RPDs, comfort of wearing RPDs and different RPDs characteristics. A questionnaire was devised for the purpose. Two hundred and five patients were required to assess satisfaction with RPDs. They graded RPDs, depending on the level of satisfaction, on scale ranging from 1 to 5. A dentist determined Kennedy classification, material and denture support, denture base shape, number of missing teeth and evaluated denture construction. Majority of the patients were satisfied with the prosthesis. The patients of a higher education level gave lower grades (P < 0.05) to aesthetics of maxillary RPDs. Almost half of the patients were wearing RPDs during the day. Most of the patients cleaned RPDs three times a day. A significant difference was found between the patients' grades for comfort of wearing mandibular RPDs and number of missing teeth and between hygiene of mandibular RPDs and habits of cleaning them. Majority of the patients treated with RPDs were satisfied with the prosthesis. Dissatisfaction was related to mastication, esthetics, number of missing teeth and maintenance of oral hygiene.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurring as a consequence of exposure to war stress. The examined group consisted of 100 male subjects, aged from 25 to 50 years, who had taken part in the War in Croatia, and in whom PTSD had previously been diagnosed. The control group comprised 100 subjects, without PTSD, of the same sex and age group, who had not taken part in the War. A functional evaluation of the stomatognathic system was performed using the Helkimo Anamnestic and Clinical Dysfunction Index. Eighty-two per cent of the group with PTSD had at least one symptom, and 98% at least one sign of dysfunction. Eight per cent reported mild symptoms and 74% severe symptoms. Twenty-eight per cent showed mild clinical signs, 22% had signs of moderate, and 48% of severe dysfunction. Twenty-four per cent of the control group of subjects had at least one symptom, and 52% at least one clinical sign of dysfunction. Twenty-two per cent reported mild and 2% severe symptoms. Mild clinical signs of dysfunction were found in 50% of subjects in the control group, moderate in 2% and none exhibited severe clinical signs. It is concluded that correlation exists between war stress and temporomandibular disorders.

RPD design plays an important role in the state of the periodontium. Appropriate design and good oral hygiene may decrease the appearance of periodontal disease.

Zaprimljen: 26. siječnja 2015. Prihvaćen: 12 travnja 2015. Adresa za dopisivanjeIzv. prof. dr. sc. Iva Alajbeg Sveučilište u Zagrebu Stomatološki fakultet Zavod za mobilnu protetiku Gundulićeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Hrvatska ialajbeg@sfzg.hr Sažetak Svrha: Temporomandibularni poremećaj (TMP) najčešći su orofacijalni bolni poremećaj nedentalnog podrijetla. Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se ispitao učinak istodobne primjene okluzijske udlage i fizikalne terapije. Pritom je postavljena hipoteza da je istodobna primjena okluzijske udlage i fizikalne terapije učinkovita metoda za liječenje anteriornog pomaka zglobne pločice bez redukcije. Materijali i postupci: U istraživanje je bilo uključeno 12 pacijenata (srednja dob = 30,5 god.) s anteriornim pomakom zglobne pločice bez redukcije (prema DKI/TMP-u, potvrđeno magnetskom rezonancijom) nasumično podijeljenih u dvije skupine: šest pacijenata dobilo je stabilizacijsku udlagu (SU), a šest je liječeno stabilizacijskom udlagom i fizikalnom terapijom (SU-FT). Ishodi liječenja uključivali su maksimalno otvaranje usta bez boli (MO), maksimalno asistirano otvaranje usta (MAO), devijaciju/defleksiju pri otvaranju i bol prema vizualno analognoj ljestvici (VAS). Rezultati: Na početku nije bilo razlika između skupina u jakosti boli prema vizualno analognoj ljestvici i rasponu kretnji donje čeljusti. Tijekom liječenja bol je prema vizualno analognoj ljestvici značajno smanjena u obje skupine (SU-FT F = 28,964, p = 0,0001, veličina učinka = 0,853; SU: F = 8,794, p = 0,0011, veličina učinka = 0,638). Raspon otvaranja usta značajno se povećao samo u skupini SU-FT (MO: F = 20,971, p = 0,006; MAO: F = 24,014, p = 0,004). Skupine su se značajno razlikovale s obzirom na devijaciju/defleksiju pri otvaranju (p = 0,040). Nakon terapije, devijacija tijekom otvaranja usta i dalje se pojavljivala samo kod jednog pacijenta u skupini SU-FT, prema njih pet u skupini SU. Zaključak: Unatoč ograničenjima ovog istraživanja pokazalo se da istodobna primjena stabilizacijske udlage i fizikalne terapije tijekom šestomjesečnog liječenja rezultira značajnijim povećanjem raspona otvaranja usta i značajnijim smanjenjem devijacija tijekom otvaranja od stabilizacijske udlage koja se upotrebljava bez fizikalne terapije. Obje terapijske opcije pokazale su se djelotvornima u smanjenju boli kod pacijenata s anteriornim pomakom zglobne pločice bez redukcije. Unatoč objektivno dijagnosticiranom poremećaju temporomandibularnog zgloba, fiziološka funkcija je obnovljena.Ključne riječi temporomandibularni zglob; dislokacije; bol; okluzalna udlaga; terapija vježbanjem; fizikalna terapija 1 Zavod za mobilnu protetiku Stomatološkog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu

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Reliability of the intra-oral method which orientates the occlusal plane to terminate at the upper level of the retromolar pad was studied. Thirty individuals all with natural teeth and 34 complete denture wearers participated in the study. Stone casts were mounted in the S.A.M. 2 articulator by a quick mount face bow transfer. The angle between the occlusal plane and the articulator horizontal plane was measured in both groups. The angle was 9.42 degrees +/- 4.1 degrees in dentate individuals and 8.53 degrees +/- 2.8 degrees in complete denture wearers. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups (t = 0.72, P > 0.05). Therefore, the method can be advocated for a wide clinical use, as it is a simple method and places the artificial occlusal plane very close to the position of the natural plane of occlusion.

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