EFFECTS OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS TREATMENT ON CERVICAL PAIN: A CLINICODESCRIPTIVE INVESTIGATION

Abstract Objectives: To this day, the research of relationships between the stomatognathic and the tonic postural systems is the object of many medical investigations. The aims of the present study are: 1. To ascertain and assess the existence of a prevalence in the relationship between cervical pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) on a large group of dysfunctional patients; 2. To assess the variation of cervical pain after dysfunction-specific non invasive therapies. Methods and Materials: A sample of 1690 dysfunctional patients was initially selected. Of 460 patients experiencing cervical pain, 141 complied with the inclusion criteria of this study. Dysfunctional and cervical pain, assessed using NRS (Numeric Rating Scale), was graded in 5 categories arranged in numerically ascending order before (T0) and after (T1) non invasive treatment. Data were assessed through segmentation analysis and univariate statistical analysis. Results: 1. Of the initial population (n=1690) of dysfunctional patients, cervical pain prevalence resulted in 27.22% (n=460). 2. Out of 141 patients treated for TMD, 35 (24.82%) became asymptomatic after treatment. Of the106 remaining cases, mild pain resulted in 32 patients (22.70%), moderate in 43 (30.50%), strong in 20 (14.18%), and severe in 11 (7.80%). Conclusions: Besides confirming a correlation between TMD and cervical pain, this study showed TMD therapy as moderately effective in the treatment of cervical pain. Clinical Significance: Strong and severe forms of cervical pain were less sensitive to treatment. For these, an interceptive-preventive approach is suggested. Key words: TMD, cervical pain, occlusal therapy