[Compromised function of the masticatory apparatus in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis]

A clinical and epidemiological study was conducted on a sample of 30 J.R.A. patients in order to identify the signs and symptoms of masticatory dysfunction. Helkimo's indices were used to quantify the data obtained. The incidence of masticatory dysfunction was significantly high as was confirmed by comparison with a random sample of healthy adolescents. The most common signs were alterations in the quality of mandibular movement, pain on muscle palpation and joint crepitus. The symptoms included spontaneous pain during mastication and tension headache with obvious psychobehavioural implications. The importance of early orthognathodontic intervention to reduce the sequelae of the joint damage became evident as did the role of the dentist in the framework of a broader and more specific multidisciplinary approach.