[TMJ features MRI study in patients with complete edentia in the absence of clinical manifestations of TMJ...

Was to determine the signs of TMJ dysfunction in patients with complete removable dentures who did not complain of discomfort or pain.

The study included 264 patients with complete absence of teeth, who had complete removable dentures for at least 6 months. Two groups of subjects were formed, 20 of whom (the control group) had no clinical signs, MRI examination in the TMJ did not reveal any pathological changes, and manual examination did not reveal pathological symptoms. The remaining 244 patients formed the main group, who also did not complain of any complaints. In these patients, tooth extractions were performed 6-12 months ago.

In the main group, it was determined that only 36 patients (15%) presented complaints when using complete removable dentures, and 224 patients (85%) had no symptoms, and crunching and clicking in the TMJ, accompanied by discomfort and minor pain were observed in 7 patients (20% of those presenting complaints). According to the results of the MRI study, it was determined that all 56 patients regardless of gender have an asymmetry in the shape of the articular heads and their sclerotic changes, 44 patients with complete edentia showed a posterior displacement of the joint heads and a narrowing of the joint space. At the same time 46 of the 56 patients were over 70 years old and used dentures for more than 4 years, a visual examination determined a decrease in the height of the lower part of the face, including due to the wear of artificial teeth installed in the denture.

Thus, it has been determined that a significant number of patients using complete removable dentures have dysfunctional disorders in the temporomandibular joint, which are detected only by special examination methods. This category of patients does not seek dental care from medical organizations due to the absence of complaints of painful sensations.