Quality of life assessment in patients with temporomandibular disorder with stabilization splints and home therapeutic exercises: a randomized clinical trial

Quality of Life Assessment in Temporomandibular Disorder

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4322/bds.2023.e3669

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of life in TMD patients with the use of Stabilization Splints (SSs) and Home Therapeutic Exercises (HTEs) guidance. Material and Methods: The study was a clinical, randomized, controlled, prospective, and interventional trial. The screening included dentate patients of both genders, diagnosed with TMD through the RDC/TMD questionnaire with no TMJ osteoarthritis and/or osteoarthrosis. To assess the quality of life, the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was applied to all patients (n=70), randomized into a test group with SS and a control group with HTE. The evaluations of both questionnaires were performed before and after the intervention of 12 weeks. Results: The comparisons between pre- and post-intervention intragroups were performed by the non-parametric Wilcoxon test with a 5% significance level. There was a frequency distribution of the responses to the 36 items of the SF-36 questionnaire and comparisons between times. In the test group, 49 patients received a SS and did HTEs. In the control group, 21 patients performed HTEs. In the statistical analysis, among the eight domains, three were identified with significant scores: pain, mental health, and vitality. Conclusion: It was found that there was an improvement in pain and quality of life after the treatment of TMD with a SS and HTE.

KEYWORDS

Clinical trial; Quality of life; Stabilization splint; Temporomandibular disorder; Therapeutic exercises.

Author Biography

Simone Saldanha Ignácio de Oliveira, Centro de DTM e Dor Orofacial, Departamento de Odontotécnica, Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.

 

Associate Professor at Occlusion and TMD Orofacial Pain, School of Dentistry of Fluminense Federal University ( UFF)

Expertise in TMD and Orofacial Pain

Head of TMD and Orofacial Pain  of School of Dentistry of Fluminense Federal University (UFF)

USP/ ICOI/ NYU / Researcher

IDREF Researcher Grant

Master at Fluminense Federal University (UFF)

PhD and Post Doctoral at São Paulo University (USP)

Member of the Brazilian Society Temporomandibular Disorder and Orofacial Pain

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Published

2023-03-14

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Section

Clinical or Laboratorial Research Manuscript