[A clinical assessment of 224 dental patients with pain and dysfunction]

Data collected on 224 patients of both sexes aged between 9 and 72 and suffering from temporomandibular dysfunctional algias have been examined. The observed prevalence of the female sex and young adults is in agreement with other researches. The most frequent, variously imbricated pathologies were the meniscal (62%), musculoligamentous (53%) and inflammatory and degenerative (21%). Having confirmed the multifactorial aetiology, and individual treatment plan was worked out. Of the initial therapies, active gymnastics, repositioning and stabilisation occlusion measures, relaxation practices, bland aspecific drugs were of particular importance. The final therapy contemplated above all prostheses and orthodontia as structural measures with a deliberate choice of conservative approach.