Mandibular dysfunction symptoms in orthodontically treated patients ten years after the completion of treatment

Abstract

The study was based on 23 patients aged between 24 and 28 years who had undergone extensive orthodontic treatment 10 years earlier and were investigated for symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction. The investigation was carried out according to a standardized schedule which has been described by Carlsson and Helkimo (1972) and Helkimo (1974). The results presented by Helkimo (1974) were used as a standard of reference. The prevalence of mandibular dysfunction symptoms is consistently lower than the reference values. No association between extensive tooth movement and the occurrence of symptoms could be discerned, but a tendency to a higher prevalence of symptoms in patients treated with fixed appliances in both jaws than in those treated with fixed appliances in the upper jaw only was noted. There seems little reason to fear an increased occurrence of mandibular dysfunction symptoms in patients subjected to orthodontic treatment. Special attention should be paid, however, to the torque on the molars, in order to avoid mediotrusive interferences.