Maria Paço1, Paula Chaves1, Francisco Pinho2, Carolina Lemos3, Rui Costa4, José A Duarte5, Teresa Pinho6. 1. CESPU, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde, Gandra-Paredes, Portugal. 2. CESPU, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde, Gandra-Paredes, Portugal; Universidade de Aveiro, Escola Superior de Saúde, Aveiro, Portugal; Algoritmi-Universidade do Minho, Guimarães, Portugal. 3. IBMC-Inst. Biologia Molecular e Celular; i3S-Inst. Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal. 4. Universidade de Aveiro, Escola Superior de Saúde, Aveiro, Portugal. 5. CIAFEL, Faculdade de Desporto da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. 6. CESPU, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde, Gandra-Paredes, Portugal; IBMC-Inst. Biologia Molecular e Celular; i3S-Inst. Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: teresa.pinho@iucs.cespu.pt.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) present several risks and different contributing factors with consequently diverse treatment approaches. It is important to recognize what patients' characteristics may benefit from orthodontics, from physiotherapy, from other treatment modalities or even from a combined approach. CASES PRESENTATION: We present three cases of patients with common TMDs signs and/or symptoms and different treatment approaches and outcomes, and our aim is to understand what might explain the different outcomes observed and also provide a rationale about the skeletal, muscular, facial and occlusal characteristics that may be indicative of a particular intervention benefit. CONCLUSION: It has been shown that orthodontics plays an important role solving occlusal problems as well as changes in the vertical dimension. On the other hand, physiotherapy was effective in pain management and range improvement, when musculoskeletal changes were clearly found. Finally, it has also been shown that a multidisciplinary approach may be crucial, and the clinician should be aware of a comprehensive assessment, valuing all the contributing factors, namely the psychological ones.
INTRODUCTION:Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) present several risks and different contributing factors with consequently diverse treatment approaches. It is important to recognize what patients' characteristics may benefit from orthodontics, from physiotherapy, from other treatment modalities or even from a combined approach. CASES PRESENTATION: We present three cases of patients with common TMDs signs and/or symptoms and different treatment approaches and outcomes, and our aim is to understand what might explain the different outcomes observed and also provide a rationale about the skeletal, muscular, facial and occlusal characteristics that may be indicative of a particular intervention benefit. CONCLUSION: It has been shown that orthodontics plays an important role solving occlusal problems as well as changes in the vertical dimension. On the other hand, physiotherapy was effective in pain management and range improvement, when musculoskeletal changes were clearly found. Finally, it has also been shown that a multidisciplinary approach may be crucial, and the clinician should be aware of a comprehensive assessment, valuing all the contributing factors, namely the psychological ones.