Comparative Evaluation of Occlusion before and after Soft Tissue Mobilization in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder—Myofascial Pain with Referral

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate occlusal parameters in patients with myofascial pain with referral before and after soft tissue mobilization. The study group consisted of 50 people (37 females and 13 males, average age 23.36 ± 2.14 years) diagnosed with myofascial pain with referral. All patients underwent triplicate soft tissue mobilization. Occlusal parameters were evaluated six times, before and after each treatment, using T-scan III. A decreasing tendency of the occlusion time was observed after the first, second, and third therapy. After the third treatment, the mean occlusion time in the entire study group was 0.119 s. The 1st soft tissue mobilization shortened both right and left disclusion times to 0.181 s and 0.185 s, respectively. After the third treatment, these parameters amounted to 0.159 s and 0.165 s, respectively. The Friedman test for the entire study group indicated that soft tissue mobilization altered the occlusion time and both disclusion times (p < 0.05). In conclusion, soft tissue mobilization affects biotensegrity of the masticatory system, thus modifying occlusal parameters. The occlusion time and both disclusion times cannot be considered as cofactors of the existing temporomandibular disorders—myofascial pain with referral.

The Prevalence and Overlaps of Temporomandibular Disorders in Patients with Myofascial Pain with Referral—A Pilot Study

“…Bearing in mind the main diagnosis—myofascial pain with referral—this may support the suggestion that muscle dysfunction precedes joint disorders and that muscle dysfunction appears as the primary cause of TMD development. This suggestion seems to be in line with Wolff’s law and bone functional adaptation as well as the biotensegrity model of TMJ [ 33 , 54 ]. To summarize, “form follows function” [ 22 ].…”

“…Clinical pattern is always related to trigger points located in the head and neck region. As a consequence, autonomic, motor and sensory reactions appear, including local and transferred pain [ 30 , 33 ]. It should be noted that myofascial pain is the most common cause of orofacial pain, which modifies quality of life and biopsychosocial well-being [ 32 , 34 , 35 ].…”

Assistência ao paciente com disfunção temporomandibular na atenção primária à saúde brasileira: lacunas, desafios e possibilidades

“…Dentre as opções de tratamento disponibilizas, podem ser citadas a acupuntura, fisioterapia, terapias comportamentais, fotobiomodulação, uso de fármacos (Sobral et al, 2021), placa oclusal, osteopatia (Ram, & Shah, 2021), injeções articulares de ácido hialurônico, injeções musculares de toxina botulínica (Kuć et al, 2021) e cirurgias. Contudo, intervenções invasivas devem ser usadas apenas quando as medidas conservadoras falharem, considerando que, na maioria das vezes, o tratamento conservador consegue amenizar os sintomas (Sung et al, 2021).…”