PELTOLA MK*, SALONEN MAM, RAUSTIA AM (Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Finland)
Results of many epidemiological studies have shown that 50 to 80 % of the population exhibited symptoms of dysfunction of masticatory system, while five to 27 % of the patients are in need of stomatognathic treatment. Most patients are treated by using relatively simple methods, such as counseling, splint therapy and occlusal adjustment. Some patients (five to 10 %), who do not respond to conservative treatment, may benefit from surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of stomatognathic treatment in long term (four and six year follow-up), both subjectively and objectively, taking account of sex, dentition and age.
Ninety-two patients (68 women, 24 men, mean age 36 years, range 14-74 years) were treated between 1988 and 1990 at the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Stomatognathic Physiology. Sixty-two patients, of which 15 were surgically treated, attended for clinical follow-up in 1994. Success of treatment was evaluated using the anamnestic and clinical dysfunction indices of Helkimo. All patients reported that they had benefited from their treatment. Symptoms of TMD were also noted to be clinically less than before.
The results of the study show that the effects of stomatognathic treatment are beneficial in long term, i.e. the patients were subjectively satisfied and symptoms recorded clinically on follow-up were statistically significantly less than before.