Introduction: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a multifactorial disease. For this reason, it is difficult to obtain an accurate and correct diagnosis. In this context, conservative treatments, including therapeutic exercises classified as stretching, relaxation, coordination, strengthening and endurance, are oftentimes prescribed. Objective: Thus, the aim of the present article was to conduct a literature review concerning the types of exercises available and the efficacy for the treatment of muscular TMD. Methods: The review included researches carried out between 2000 and 2010, indexed on Web of Science, PubMed, LILACS and BBO. Moreover, the following keywords were used: Exercise, physical therapy, facial pain, myofascial pain syndrome, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome. Studies that did not consider the subject "TMD and exercises", used post-surgery exercises and did not use validated criteria for the diagnosis of TMD (RDC/TMD) were not included. Results: The results comprised seven articles which proved therapeutic exercises to be effective for the treatment of muscular TMD. However, these studies are seen as limited, since therapeutic exercises were not applied alone, but in association with other conservative procedures. In addition, they present some drawbacks such as: Small samples, lack of control group and no detailed exercise description which should have included intensity, repetition, frequency and duration. Conclusion: Although therapeutic exercises are considered effective in the management of muscular TMD, the development of randomized clinical trials is necessary, since many existing studies are still based on the clinical experience of professionals.Keywords: Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome. Myofascial pain syndromes. Physical therapy modalities. Exercise.Introdução: a disfunção temporomandibular (DTM) é uma doença multifatorial, geralmente com evolução benigna. Por esse motivo, é difícil a obtenção de um diagnóstico inicial preciso e correto, levando a um consenso na prescrição de tratamentos conservadores, entre eles, os exercícios terapêuticos, que são classificados em exercícios de alongamento, relaxamento, coordenação, fortalecimento e resistência. Objetivo: o objetivo desse estudo foi realizar uma revisão de literatura dos trabalhos que apresentam os tipos de exercícios disponíveis e sua eficácia para o tratamento das DTM musculares. Métodos: foi feito um levantamento bibliográfico, de 2000 a 2010, nas bases se dados Web of Science, PubMed, LILACS e BBO, cruzando os seguintes descritores: exercise, physical therapy, facial pain, myofascial pain syndrome e temporomandibular joint disfunction syndrome. Foram excluídos os trabalhos que não consideravam o tema exercícios e DTM, utilizavam exercícios pós-cirúrgicos e que não utilizavam critérios validados para o diagnóstico da DTM (RDC/TMD). Resultados: resultaram sete artigos, que mostraram que os exercícios terapêuticos foram efetivos para o tratamento de DTM muscular. No entanto, uma das limitações desses estu...

The aim of the study was to determine and classify the shape of the mandibular fossa and the corresponding condyle in different types, relating them to sex and symmetry, in adult human skulls, from lateral, posterior and superior views. The sample included 50 human skulls from 23 to 82 years old, 32 males and 18 females. The condyle and silicone casting molds of the fossa were photographed to assess shape in the three views. Shapes were classified, validated by intra-and inter-rater analysis and frequency, sex distribution and symmetry verified. Shapes were classified as rounded, angled, flattened and mixed types in the lateral and posterior views; and as biconvex, flat-convex, biflattened and mixed in the superior view. Rounded condyle and fossa were more frequent in the lateral (57% and 66% respectively) and posterior (53% and 83%) views. In the superior view, mixed shape presented higher frequency in condyle (59%) while in fossa the biconvex shape (46%) was most common. There was no significant difference in shape distribution by sex. The same shape (symmetry) or otherwise (non-symmetry) in right and left side condyle and fossa were separately assessed and showed various combinations.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) involve a set of craniofacial changes, which may involve temporomandibular joint (TMJ), jaw muscles and/or associated structures. Muscle TMD is the most frequent, and one of its subtypes is myofascial pain. Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT A), has been studied to control pain, including myofascial pain, and is related to pain relief mechanisms not only in neuromuscular junction receptors. This study aimed at evaluating articles addressing BoNT A to treat jaw muscles myofascial pain. CONTENTS: Pubmed, LILACS and BVS databases were queried from 2000 to April 2012, crossing the following keywords: botulinum toxin type A, myofascial pain syndromes, facial pain, temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, trigger-points, bruxism, temporomandibular joint, masseter muscle and temporalis muscle. Inclusion criteria were randomized double blind or blind studies, with 10 or more participants, with randomized methodological aspects, relating the use of botulinum toxin for jaw muscles TMD myofascial pain, more specifically masseter and temporalis muscles, and limited to the English language. Six articles were found and included in this study. CONCLUSION: BoNT A was not more effective to treat myofascial pain than established conventional treatments. Because there are many uncontrolled variables in the few related studies, more studies with judicious methodologies are needed to make feasible its use in patients refractory to pain and previously submitted to conservative treatments.

In our population, the incidence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder of muscular origin was not different between the groups.

In our population, the incidence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder of muscular origin was not different between the groups.

Background Patients with Down syndrome (DS) present functional and anatomical alterations that may negatively impact their health and quality of life. Down syndrome patients have been shown to have a high prevalence of temporomandibular disorder (TMD), but little is known about the diagnosis, treatment and prevention in these individuals. Objective To evaluate the impact of a home‐based multidisciplinary programme on muscular TMD in DS adults. Methods After being diagnosed with TMD‐related masticatory muscle disorder, 20 adult men and 20 adult women with DS received an educational material with instructions on how to perform daily home facial self‐massage and exercises for orofacial and masticatory muscles. Participants were also provided with educational information on TMD. Those who failed to perform at least 50% of the programme (23 days) were considered non‐adherent. Oral parafunctional behaviours, facial pressure‐pain threshold and maximum mouth opening were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results Twenty‐five patients adhered to the programme as opposed to 15 non‐adherent patients. Statistically significant improvements in all parameters were observed among adherent patients, except for the number of parafunctions. Conclusion The proposed home‐based multidisciplinary programme seemed to be effective in improving some aspects related to muscular TMD in DS adults.

Based on the survey of records regarding the location and frequency of referred pain in patients with temporomandibular disorder when certain pre-established areas are palpated, we proposed an anatomical-topographical division of the head and neck to allow the standardization and reproducibility of locations of referred pain. Of the 835 charts reviewed, 419 (50.2%) patients had referred pain on palpation of the regions based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and palpation of the cervical regions, as often analyzed by the Cochran Q test. The concordance coefficient of Kendall examined the correlation between regions of referred pain concerning to palpated sites. The new regions were defined preauricular, facial lateral, temporoparietal, posterior head, posterior and lateral cervical, anterior cervical and calvaria. The region palpated that originated more referred pain was corresponding to the masseter muscle followed by the region of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, regardless of the side palpated. On palpation of the regions established by the RDC/TMD, the most frequent area of referred pain was the lateral facial region. On palpation of the neck, were the posterior and lateral cervical regions. The sites that originated more referred pain when palpated were the masseter, temporalis, sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.