Background factors in craniomandibular disorders: reported symptoms in adolescents with special reference to joint hypermobility and oral parafunctions

Evaluation of Temporomandibular Disorders and Comorbidities in Patients with Ehler--Danlos: Clinical and Digital Findings

Objective

The objective of this study is to recognize representative cranio-cervico-mandibular features of patients with Ehler-Danlos syndrome and associated temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), to assess a targeted and integrated treatment plan.

Materials and Methods

After a diagnosis of disease, 38 individiuals with Ehler-Danlos syndrome and temporomandibular symptomatology referred were evaluated. Gnathological evaluation, according to the Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs, and radiographic imaging was performed. In addition, digital evaluation of occlusal and muscular balance, using surface electromyography of jaw muscles, was conducted. Statistical software for data analysis - STATA (StataCorp, College station, Texas, USA) - was used.

Results

Most common temporomandibular dysfunctions were arthralgia, myalgia, disc displacement with reduction and subluxation. Headache and neck pain were the most frequent comorbidities. Somatization, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behavior were the most recurrent psychological disorders. Electromyographic analysis showed out of normal range data.

Conclusion

Early diagnosis and interception are requested to avoid injuries and repeated traumatism. Multidisciplinary treatments are available to approach all the aspects of the syndrome.

Prevalence of sleep bruxism in a group of Brazilian schoolchildren

AIM

This was to investigate the prevalence of sleep bruxism in Brazilian schoolchildren.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out examining 652 randomly selected children aged from 7 to 10 years of age from both public and private schools in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Sleep bruxism among children was reported by parents by means of a pretested questionnaire based on the criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Disorders. The Social Vulnerability Index from Municipal database was used to determine social classification of families. A chi-square test was used with a significance level of 5%.

RESULTS

Sleep bruxism was present in 230 children, showing a prevalence of 35.3%. Among the 652 children, 340 (52.0%) were girls and 312 (48.0%) were boys, predominatly of 8-year-olds (84.2%). Sleep bruxism was present in 56.5% of the girls and 43.5% of the boys. The majority of the families were of a low social vulnerability (54.2%), whereas another 45.8% were of a high social vulnerability. More than half of the children without sleep bruxism (55.2%) were of low socio-economic background.

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of 35.3% demonstrates the need for further research on this issue.

General joint hypermobility and temporomandibular joint derangement in adolescents

Joint mobility was assessed in each member of an epidemiological sample of 96 girls and 97 boys, 17 years old, and graded by means of the hypermobility score of Beighton et al. Twenty two per cent of the girls and 3% of the boys could perform five or more of the nine manoeuvres. The prevalence of symptoms and signs of internal derangement in the temporomandibular joint was higher in adolescents with hypermobility of joints (score greater than or equal to 5/9). In subjects with a high mobility score oral parafunctions (overuse) correlated more strongly with several signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorder than in those with a low score.