Relationship between temporomandibular disorders and orthodontic treatment: A literature review

Ronaldo Antônio LEITE, Joacir Ferreira RODRIGUES, Maurício Tatsuei SAKIMA, Tatsuko SAKIMA

Objective: The objective of this study was to review the most recent studies from the last 15 years, in search of clinical studies that report the relationship between TMD and orthodontic treatment and/or malocclusion. Our intention was to determine whether orthodontic treatment would increase the incidence of signs and symptoms of TMD, and whether orthodontic treatment would be recommended for treating or preventing signs and symptoms of TMD. Methods: Literature reviews, editorials, letters to the editor, experimental studies in animals and short communications were excluded from this review. Were included only prospective, longitudinal, case-control or retrospective studies with a large sample and signiicant statistical analysis. Studies that dealt with craniofacial deformities and syndromes or orthognathic surgery treatment were also excluded, as well as those that reported only the association between malocclusion and TMD. Results: There were 20 articles relating orthodontics to TMD according to the inclusion criteria. The studies that associated signs and symptoms of TMD to orthodontic treatment showed discrepant results. Some have found positive efects of orthodontic treatment on signs and symptoms of TMD, however, none showed a statistically signiicant diference. Conclusions: All studies cited in this literature review reported that orthodontic treatment did not provide risk to the development of signs and symptoms of TMD, regardless of the technique used for treatment, the extraction or nonextraction of premolars and the type of malocclusion previously presented by the patient. Some studies with long-term follow-up concluded that orthodontic treatment would not be preventive or a treatment option for TMD.

Keywords: Orthodontics. Temporomandibular joint disorders. Dental occlusion.

How to cite: Leite RA, Rodrigues JF, Sakima MT, Sakima T. Relationship between temporomandibular disorders and orthodontic treatment: Literature revision. Dental Press J Orthod. 2013 Jan-Feb;18(1):150-7.

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