CHANGES IN THE FUNCTIONAL INDICATORS OF THE MAXILLO-FACIAL REGION IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE TEMPO-MANDIBULAR JOINT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE PHYSICAL THERAPY

Abstract

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of physical therapy as a method of correcting the functional indicators of the maxillofacial area in patients with osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint. Methods. 48 people diagnosed with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis were examined. In people of group 1 (23 people), it was corrected by wearing individual relieving splints. Individuals of group 2 (25 people), in addition, received a course of physical therapy – therapeutic exercises for masticatory muscles, facial muscles, tongue, front surface of the neck and a course of Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation using the unipolar technique for masticatory and temporal muscles. The duration of correction in both groups was 1 month. The result was evaluated by the dynamics of complaints, the intensity of pain in the temporomandibular joint on a visual analog scale, the amplitude of the movements of the lower jaw, OHIP-14. Results. During re-examination, the number of complaints about pain, crunching in the temporomandibular joint, discomfort when chewing, psycho-emotional depression decreased in patients of both groups. Pain at rest was not detected in representatives of both groups during repeated examination; during movements, it was diagnosed as minimal in individuals of group 1. An improvement in the amplitude of movements of the lower jaw was determined: mouth opening in group 1 by 10.1 %, in group 2 by 20.9 %; laterotrusion to the right by 31.0 % and 69.7 %, respectively; laterotrusion to the left – by 32.4 % and 92.3 %. According to OHIP-14, in both studied groups there was an improvement on all scales with an overall positive trend of 45.2 % in group 1 and 71.1% in group 2. The developed program of physical therapy against the background of wearing individual relief splints demonstrated a statistically significantly better effect (p<0.05) on all investigated indicators of functioning of the orofacial zone compared to the initial data and results of the group that corrected the dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint only with splints. Conclusions. It is advisable to use the means of physical therapy to increase the effectiveness of dental orthopedic correction in patients with osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint.