Potential Myogenous Temporomandibular Disorders Following Iatrogenic Occlusal Disturbance: A Pilot Study

Abstract

There is an inadvertent alteration of the occlusal surface after dental treatment. However, research concerning the effect of these iatrogenic disturbances on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is scarce. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between sudden iatrogenic occlusal disturbance and its effect on the myogenous temporomandibular disorder (TMD). A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 30 female subjects aged 18 years to 38 years who received treatment (direct and indirect restorations altering the occlusal surfaces of teeth, and oral prophylaxis) in the students' clinics at the College of Dentistry Jazan University. The preoperative assessment included a patient interview, a baseline occlusal record, and bite force analysis. All the assessments were repeated 2 weeks after the treatment. Descriptive statistics were calculated. As there was no change observed in bite force as well as occlusal disturbances in the control group, no comparative tests could be applied. The treatment-induced occlusal disturbances were observed in 80% of the participants. The mean change in occlusal force on the treated teeth was found to be 5.6 ± 1.1 Newtons. None of the patients reported any symptoms related to pain or restriction in function in the TMJ. No relation was observed between the abrupt changes in the occlusal force due to dental treatment and the development of the myogenous TMD. Iatrogenic occlusal interferences may cause/exacerbate TMDs; hence, extreme caution should be exercised by the clinicians to avoid causing harm to the patients. How to cite this article: Alamir AH, Hakami YA, Alabsi FS, et al. Potential Myogenous Temporomandibular Disorders Following Iatrogenic Occlusal Disturbance: A Pilot Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2019;20(10):1138-1140.