Abstract
Aim: Tinnitus is a common symptom in dental patients presenting with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). In this study, 66 patients were examined and underlying variations in dental appearance, jaw position, jaw joint health, radiographic findings, and symptoms were recorded. The patients were randomly placed into either an intervention or a control group to assess the effectiveness of a relaxation device aiming to reduce tinnitus. Method: 100 patients referred for TMD problems and suffering from tinnitus were asked to participate in the study. 66 patients completed two questionnaires before the first consultation with a specialist in orofacial pain and function and 46 of them completed the randomised trial. Results: TMD patients most likely to be suffering from tinnitus had experienced stress, felt tension in the jaw or presented with neck problems. Clinical dental examinations revealed that these patients displayed a deep bite, had a click or scrape sound from their jaw joints and/or had parafunctional habits (grinding or clenching their teeth). Patients in the relaxation device group reported significant improvement at p<0.01 compared with control group after 4 months treatment. Conclusion: This study presents general clinical signs and criteria that also non-dental medical professionals can use as a guide for referring tinnitus patients for specialist dental care. Patients under stress who are clenching or grinding their teeth, have missing teeth, midline shift and experience sounds from their jaw joints could benefit from examination by a dental specialist and the use of a relaxation device.
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