Myogenic temporomandibular disorders: Clinical systemic comorbidities in a female population sample

Short-term heart rate variability at rest in individuals with temporomandibular disorder: a comparative analysis

OBJECTIVE

Compare heart rate variability (HRV) indices in participants with and without myogenic temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Secondarily, we correlated HRV indices with pain and quality of life variables.

METHODS

This is a comparative observational cross-sectional study. Individuals of both genders with and without a history of TMD were included. Short-term heart rate variability was assessed using a Polar V800. Central sensitization was assessed using the Central Sensitization Inventory. Pain through the numeric pain scale and the impact of oral health on quality of life using the OHIP-14 questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 80 participants were enrolled in the study: most individuals included in both groups were young adults, women and slightly overweight. We observed a decrease in HRV in the TMD group (p < 0.01) when compared to the control group. In addition, we observed a greater impact of oral health on quality of life, central sensitization in addition to high resting pain scores (p < 0.01). We observed significant correlation between the LF index of HRV and the FAI score (r = 0.311; p = 0.05). The NPS, CSI and OHIP-14 scores did not correlate with any of the HRV indices (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The short-term HRV in individuals with TMD is significantly lower when compared to a control group. Furthermore, there seems to be a relationship between the severity of the dysfunction and the HRV variables.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Using portable and low-cost devices, the HRV can be easily collected and analyzed, without the need for an arsenal of equipment such as the conventional electrocardiogram. This measure can contribute to the therapy adopted and identify individuals prone to unfavorable outcomes involving ANS modulation.

Short-Term Morphological Changes in Asymptomatic Perimandibular Muscles after Dry Needling Assessed with Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Facial anatomical structures are not easily accessible to manual palpation. The aim of our study is to objectively assess temporomandibular joint and perimandibular muscles dimensions by means of sonographic measurements before and after dry needling (DN) in asymptomatic subjects. Seventeen subjects participated in this before-after study with a within-subject control. After random allocation, one side of the face was used for the intervention and the contralateral as control. DN was performed on the temporal, masseter, and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Each subject was examined bilaterally before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention through Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging (RUSI) of the temporomandibular articular disc and the three target muscles. Maximum mouth opening was measured at baseline and at one month. After a single DN session, articular disc thickness significantly decreased; muscles’ thicknesses (except for temporal thickness) significantly decreased immediately and at follow-up on the treated side; no significant changes resulted for the control side. The maximum mouth opening increased from 4.77 mm to 4.86 mm. RUSI may be useful to assess the dimensions and thickness of the temporomandibular disc and muscles before and after an intervention. DN influences muscle morphology, and it has a positive influence on mouth opening in the short term.

Association Between Subjective Tinnitus and Cervical Spine or Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review

Movements of the neck and jaw may modulate the loudness and pitch of tinnitus. The aim of the present study was to systematically analyze the strength of associations between subjective tinnitus, cervical spine disorders (CSD), and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). A systematic literature search of the Medline, Embase, and Pedro databases was carried out on articles published up to September 2017. This covered studies in which tinnitus and CSD or TMD were studied as a primary or a secondary outcome and in which outcomes were compared with a control group. Included articles were evaluated on nine methodological quality criteria. Associations between tinnitus and CSD or TMD were expressed as odds ratios. In total, 2,139 articles were identified, of which 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Twice, two studies were based on the same data set; consequently, 22 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Methodological quality was generally limited by a lack of blinding, comparability of groups, and nonvalidated instruments for assessing CSD. Results indicated that patients with tinnitus more frequently reported CSD than subjects without tinnitus. The odds ratio was 2.6 (95% CI [1.1, 6.4]). For TMD, a bidirectional association with tinnitus was found; odds ratios ranged from 2.3 (95%CI [1.5, 3.6]) for arthrogenous TMD to 6.7 (95%CI [2.4, 18.8]) for unspecified TMD. Funnel plots suggested a publication bias. After adjusting for this, the odds ratios decreased, but associations persisted. There is weak evidence for an association between subjective tinnitus and CSD and a bidirectional association between tinnitus and TMD.

Mother's Work Status on Children's Bruxism in a Subset of Saudi Population

Aims and Objectives:

The aims and objectives of this study were to determine if an association exists between mothers work status and her children's incidence of bruxism and habits related to bruxism.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted through data collection of a questionnaire answered by 561 mothers’ about their working status and their child's habits and behaviors. The survey consisted of 5 parts with a total of 34 questions: mother's information, child's behavior, child's sleeping pattern, mother's knowledge about bruxism, and child's medical history. Odds ratios, Chi-square, and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals are reported. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results:

The work status of the mother was not statistically significant in increasing the incidence of a child to have bruxism. However, this study clearly elucidates that 7 of the 15 habits correlate significantly with a status of bruxism. According to this sample, a child, that is, reported to be aggressive is more than twice as likely to have nocturnal bruxism. Likewise, any child that bites their nails, complains of headaches, drools in their sleep, snores, complains of muscle cramps, and colic is more than twice as likely to be a nocturnal bruxer than a child that does not have these habits.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of children's bruxism in this convenient sample was 34.5% (n = 141). The concerning habits related to bruxism can serve the pediatric dentist, general dentist, general practitioner, and primary care provider of children having these red flags as indicators of bruxism. It is imperative that parents of these children be made aware these habits that may occur together, alone or even simultaneously with bruxism.