Terapia com placa oclusal com e sem guias anteriores de desoclusão em pacientes com disfunção temporomandibular e zumbido subjetivo

Abstract

VENEZIAN, G. C. (2012). Occlusal splint therapy in the management of patients with TMD and subjective tinnitus. Ph.D. Thesis – Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, 2012. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of anterior guidance and bilateral balanced splints in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and subjective tinnitus. A total of 264 subjects referred for treatment of TMD in FORP/USP were evaluated and 32 women with muscular TMD with or without the diagnosis of articular TMD, who met the inclusion criteria, were selected. TMD diagnosis was performed according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomadibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). The patients were randomly divided into two groups: anterior guidance splint group and bilateral balanced splints group. The assessments included pain to palpation, pressure pain threshold with algometer, measurement of amplitude of mandibular movements, surface electromyography, pain intensity and loudness of tinnitus reports in visual analogue scale (VAS) and characteristics of tinnitus. The patients also answered a questionnaire to quantify the frequency and severity of signs and symptoms of TMD (ProDTMMulti) and to assess the impact of tinnitus on a day-to-day (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory THI). The electromyography evaluation was performed in different activities with and without occlusal splint (maximum voluntary clenching, excursive jaw movements, resting and habitual chewing) and compared to a group of 13 asymptomatic women. The assessments were performed initially (A1), at the day of installation of the occlusal splints, after 60 days of the initial assessment (A2) and after 90 days of occlusal splint therapy (A3). The period between A1 and A2 assessments was considered a control period. The results showed a significant improvement in pain reported by patients and an increase in the amplitude of mouth opening without pain in both groups, without difference between them. The electromyographic activity was significantly reduced during maximum voluntary clenching with occlusal splint compared to clenching in maximal habitual intercuspation, to the other activities performed during the examination there was no significant difference. The tinnitus evaluation showed that in many patients there was remission of symptom after treatment with occlusal splint. There was no difference among groups for all assessments. Based on these findings it is possible to conclude that treatment with both splints promoted improvement in symptoms of patients, without differences among them, and many patients had a remission of reported tinnitus during the treatment.