Marcos Vinicius Queiroz de Paula

Review articleDiagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders: indication of imaging examsDiagnóstico das disfunções da articulação temporomandibular: indicação dos exames por imagem☆

Introduction Knowledge of the different imaging tests and their appropriate indications is crucial to establish the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders, especially in patients with overlapping signs and symptoms.INTRODUCTION Knowledge of the different imaging tests and their appropriate indications is crucial to establish the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders, especially in patients with overlapping signs and symptoms. OBJECTIVE To present and assess the main diagnostic imaging tests for temporomandibular disorders and rationally discuss their indication criteria, advantages, and disadvantages. METHODS Literature review in the Web of Knowledge, PubMed and SciELO databases, as well as manual search for relevant publications in reference lists of the selected articles. RESULTS Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were considered the gold standard assessments for the temporomandibular joint to evaluate hard and soft tissues, respectively. Each diagnostic method exhibited distinct sensitivity and specificity for the different subtypes of joint dysfunction. CONCLUSION Selecting an evaluation examination based on its accuracy, safety, and clinical relevance is a rational decision that can help lead to an accurate diagnosis and an optimum treatment plan.

Diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders: indication of imaging exams

Introduction Knowledge of the different imaging tests and their appropriate indications is crucial to establish the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders, especially in patients with overlapping signs and symptoms.INTRODUCTION Knowledge of the different imaging tests and their appropriate indications is crucial to establish the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders, especially in patients with overlapping signs and symptoms. OBJECTIVE To present and assess the main diagnostic imaging tests for temporomandibular disorders and rationally discuss their indication criteria, advantages, and disadvantages. METHODS Literature review in the Web of Knowledge, PubMed and SciELO databases, as well as manual search for relevant publications in reference lists of the selected articles. RESULTS Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were considered the gold standard assessments for the temporomandibular joint to evaluate hard and soft tissues, respectively. Each diagnostic method exhibited distinct sensitivity and specificity for the different subtypes of joint dysfunction. CONCLUSION Selecting an evaluation examination based on its accuracy, safety, and clinical relevance is a rational decision that can help lead to an accurate diagnosis and an optimum treatment plan.

Ear Acupuncture Therapy for Masticatory Myofascial and Temporomandibular Pain: A Controlled Clinical Trial

Ear acupuncture works by reducing painful sensations with analgesic effect through microsystem therapy and has been demonstrated to be as effective as conventional therapies in the control of facial pain. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the adjuvant action of auricular acupuncture through an observation of the evolution of temporomandibular and masticatory myofascial symptoms in two groups defined by the therapies elected: auricular acupuncture associated with occlusal splint (study) and the use of the occlusal splint plate alone (control). We have selected 20 patients, who were randomly allocated into two groups of ten individuals. Symptoms were evaluated in five different moments, every seven days. We analyzed the orofacial muscle and joint palpation in order to measure the intensity of the experienced pain. Both groups showed a statistically significant decrease in muscle and joint symptoms (p < 0.05). However, comparisons between the groups showed an expressive and significant reduction of symptomatology in the study group (p < 0.05) already on the first week of therapy. According to the results, to the methodological criteria developed and statistical analysis applied, the conclusion is that auricular acupuncture therapy has synergistic action on conventional occlusal splint treatment. It was demonstrated to be effective in the reduction of symptoms in the short term.

Impact of oral health conditions on the quality of life of workers

Occupational health has been the scope of numerous studies, primarily due to the concern that the worker should enjoy good working conditions and a satisfactory quality of life. This study seeks to analyze the impact of oral health on the quality of life of workers at a public university using the simplified version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 326 workers who responded the questions of OHIP-14 about self-rated health, oral morbidity, and socioeconomic and demographic questions. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to verify the association between the independent variables and OHIP-14. About 40% of the impact of oral health on quality of life can be explained by the variables: education level (p = 0,03), age (p = 0,03), reason for visiting a dentist (p = 0,01), oral health perception (p < 0,01) and satisfaction with teeth and mouth (p < 0,01). The use of OHIP-14 can be useful for planning programs and actions focused on health education for occupational health, prioritizing workers with greater psychosocial impacts caused by oral problems.

Indication Criteria of Imaging Exams for Diagnosing of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

The various subtypes of temporomandibular disorders and different imaging exams available for diagnosis and indication influence the choice of the most appropriate examination front of clinical symptoms of the patient. This review aims to provide an indication of imaging tests for the diagnosis of pathological changes of the temporomandibular joint, discussing its accuracy and criteria for the prescription. The indication is considered appropriate when based on safety and clinical relevance of the examination requested. This sets the correct diagnosis and influences on the most appropriate treatment plan. We proposed that each of the imaging tests has its own sensitivity and specificity to subtypes and different manifestations of temporomandibular joint disorders.

Controvérsias sobre a Sutura Palatina Mediana e a Expansão Maxilar: Revisão da Literatura

Introducao: Do que e formada a Sutura Palatina Mediana (SPM)? Quais sao suas funcoes? Em qual epoca da vida ocorre sua obliteracao? Alem destas questoes, a literatura frequentemente entra em discordância a respeito de varios detalhes associados ao tratamento da deficiencia maxilar transversal utilizando-se a expansao ortopedica. Pesquisas recentes tem fornecido resultados que ajudam a compreender a fisiologia e o comportamento da SPM durante e apos a expansao maxilar, tanto no periodo pre quanto pos puberal, permitindo, em alguns casos, uma interpretacao absolutamente diversa de aspectos apresentados por trabalhos de relevância publicados anteriormente. Novos conhecimentos sobre a SPM contrastam em varios pontos com antigos conceitos. Objetivo: Analisar, mediante revisao da literatura, dados e suposicoes existentes para elucidar a possibilidade da total obliteracao da SPM apos a puberdade, a influencia da densidade mineral na regiao da SPM durante o processo de expansao maxilar e o papel da idade do paciente frente a mesma. Conclusao: A hipotese de que em determinada fase da vida ocorra total obliteracao da SPM provavelmente pode ser abandonada, pois nao condiz com os recentes dados literarios e com o comportamento fisiologico demonstrado pela sutura. A densidade mineral da SPM, que varia de acordo com a idade do individuo, pode ser capaz de intervir na capacidade fisiologica de reparacao ossea e na elasticidade sutural. O alto indice de densidade mineral da SPM, ja descrito como normal nos individuos de meia idade, pode ser o responsavel pela contraindicacao da expansao maxilar na vida adulta.