The amount of TMJ displacement correlates with brain activity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Dental Science
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Malocclusion, a misalignment of teeth, can impact jaw function and potentially influence neurological responses.
• Understanding the brain's reaction to malocclusion is crucial for developing objective diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between the severity of malocclusion and brain activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• To explore the potential of fMRI-based brain activity measurement for objectively assessing malocclusion severity.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to measure blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signals in twelve healthy subjects.
• Subjects simulated two types of malocclusion by clenching their teeth with custom splints positioning the mandible in retrusive positions (0.5 mm, 0.7 mm), compared to a control condition.

Main Results:

• BOLD signals were significantly stronger in the amygdala and prefrontal area (PFA) during simulated malocclusion compared to the control.
• A dose-dependent response was observed, with increased BOLD signal in the PFA correlating with greater simulated malocclusion severity.

Conclusions:

• Brain activity in the amygdala and PFA is significantly affected by malocclusion.
• fMRI-assessed brain activity shows promise as an objective method for evaluating the severity of malocclusion.