EPA Consensus Project Paper: The Relationship Between Prosthodontic Rehabilitations and Temporomandibular Disorders.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) represent a complex group of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles.
• The role of prosthodontic interventions in the etiology and management of TMD remains a subject of clinical inquiry.
• Understanding the relationship between dental occlusion and TMD is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the association between prosthodontic treatment and temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
• To determine if prosthodontic treatment can serve as a management strategy for TMD.
• To investigate any potential causal link between prosthodontic rehabilitation and the development of TMD.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search was conducted across four medical databases.
• The search focused on identifying Clinical Trials (CT) and Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) addressing the clinical questions.
• No articles met the inclusion criteria, leading to a scoping review of existing evidence.

Main Results:

• The systematic search yielded no eligible studies directly addressing the research questions.
• The available evidence was synthesized through a scoping review, focusing on the relationship between prosthodontic treatment and TMD.
• The review highlighted a lack of robust scientific data supporting prosthodontic interventions for TMD.

Conclusions:

• Current scientific evidence does not support prosthetic rehabilitation as a treatment for TMD, favoring more conservative approaches.
• There is no identified association between dental occlusion features and TMD, nor is prosthodontic rehabilitation considered a direct cause of TMD.
• Clinicians should exercise caution during significant occlusal modifications due to the stomatognathic system's neuroplasticity.