Occlusal tactile acuity in temporomandibular disorder pain patients: A case‐control study

Abstract

Objective To compare the smallest thickness that can be perceived between occluding teeth (occlusal tactile acuity, OTA) of temporomandibular disorder pain (TMD‐P) patients with that of control (CTR) individuals. Methods Twenty TMD‐P patients (17 women and 3 men, mean age: 31.3 ± 10.4 years) diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) protocol and 20 age‐ and gender‐matched controls (17 women and 3 men, mean age: 31.4 ± 10.5 years) were enrolled. The OTA was tested with 10 different thicknesses: 9 aluminium foils (8 µm‐72 µm with a constant increment of 8 µm) and 1 sham test (without foil), each thickness being tested 10 times in random order (100 tests in total). The participants were instructed to close their mouth once and to report whether they felt the foil between their molar teeth. A between‐group comparison (TMD‐P vs CTR) was performed for each testing thickness (analysis of variance for repeated measurements, with Bonferroni multiple correction) (P < .005). Results Significantly increased OTA was observed in the TMD‐P group for the thicknesses between 8 µm and 40 µm, while no significant differences were found for the sham test and for the larger thicknesses tested (from 48 µm to 72 µm). Conclusions TMD‐pain subjects presented an increased OTA as compared to controls.

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

“…The enormity of the related stimuli determines somatosensory amplification. Furthermore, the latest research revealed that the overall oral tactile acuity is increased in patients with painful TMD, which could suggest elevated vulnerability to occlusal alterations [ 55 ]. Bucci et al demonstrated that increased oral tactile acuity is treated as a risk factor connected with occlusal dysaesthesia under occlusal hypervigilance conditions which, in turn, are insufficient to trigger TMDs alone.…”

“…Bucci et al demonstrated that increased oral tactile acuity is treated as a risk factor connected with occlusal dysaesthesia under occlusal hypervigilance conditions which, in turn, are insufficient to trigger TMDs alone. These authors stressed that self-assessment by the patient is more important than the degree of somatosensation—“occlusal scanning” [ 55 ].…”

Effects of acute pain and strain of the periodontium due to orthodontic separation on the occlusal tactile acuity of healthy individuals

“…A protocol used in previous studies was applied [3,23,24]. Briefly, at the baseline (T0) participants were tested for the ability to discriminate 10 different interdental thicknesses: 9 aluminum foils ranging from 8 to 72 μm and one sham test without any foil.…”

“…This ability is typically measured as the two-point discrimination threshold and defined as the minimum distance between two mechanical stimuli simultaneously applied to the skin that can be perceived as two separate points [1,2]. Translating this concept to the somatosensory functions of the stomatognathic system, the occlusal tactile acuity (OTA) has been defined as the ability to detect small thickness changes between antagonist teeth during maximal intercuspation [3]. This accurate sensory information is crucial for several oral motor behaviors and contributes to refine jaw functions related to biting and chewing.…”

Temporomandibular disorders and occlusion effect on orthodontic treatment

“…On the other hand, another investigation indicated that the occlusal tactile acuity did not significantly change in patients that did not suffer from temporomandibular disorders when myalgia was intentionally provoked. 33,34 This has been explained by the fact that psychological factors might be involved in patients with temporomandibular disorders that might attribute to the development of malocclusion. However, this pattern seems to be absent in free individuals when pain is intentionally provoked.…”