The Profile of Oral Lesions in Patients Attending Oral Diagnosis Clinic at the College of Dentistry, University of Basra, Iraq

Objective: Oral health refers to the health of our mouth and ultimately, supports and reflects the health of the entire body. So this study is designed to assess the profile of oral lesions in patients attending an oral diagnosis clinic at a College of Dentistry, University of Basra, Iraq. Patients and methods: The study was conducted in an outpatient clinic of Oral Diagnosis Department, College of Dentistry. Total 13184 patients attended during a period of study from October 2014 to June 2016; among them, 494 patients have oral lesions. The examination was done by an oral medicine specialist. The questionnaire form was filled for each patient. Results: Among the 13184 dental patients, only 494 (3.74%) patients had oral lesions; 232 (47%) were males and 262 (53%) were females. The most frequent age group was 20-39 years for 50.2% of the total examined patients. The most common oral lesions diagnosed by this study were the ulcerative lesions found in 184 (37.2%) patients, while myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MFPDS) was found in 113 (22.9%) patients. The ulcerative lesions were more common in males than in females; while MFPDS were more in females than in the males. The most common site affected by oral lesions was Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) found in 115 (23.3%) patients and lower lip affected by oral lesions found in 108 (21.9%) patients; while buccal mucosa affected was found in 71 (14.4%) patients from the total patients. Conclusion: The routine examination of the oral cavity is essential in identifying several oral lesions and this helps to establish early diagnosis and accurate treatment to get a better prognosis, in addition to that it establishes the baseline data in oral diseases for future oral health programs.

Effects of NTI-tss splint in the treatment of myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome / 实用口腔医学杂志

20 patients with myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome(MPDS)were were treated by NTI-tss splint only during night for 2 months.After treatment,VAS decreased(P <0.01)and active maximum mouth opening degree increased(P <0.01).NTI-tss splint is ef-fective in the treatment of MPDS.Its side effect needs to be further observed.

Temporomandibular disorders and functional somatic syndromes: Deliberations for the dentist.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is an umbrella term for a collection of disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and associated tissues. TMD is not a rare pathology for the dentist. The most common presenting symptom is pain, which causes the patient seek immediate treatment. Management is dictated by the cause. The most 'famed' causes include trauma, inflammation, aging, parafunctional habits, infections, neoplasms, and stress; and these are always considered in the differential diagnosis of TMJ pain. There are some less 'famed' causes of TMD, which are characterized by increased pain sensitivity due to psychosocial factors; these include myofascial pain syndrome and functional somatic syndromes (FSS) such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. They present with chronic pain, fatigue, disability, and impairment in ability to perform daily activities. A non-systematic search in the English literature revealed numerous studies describing the occurrence of TMD in these conditions, along with few other oral manifestations. TMD has been even considered to be a part of the FSS by some. In these patients, TMD remains a recurring problem, and adequate management cannot be achieved by traditional treatment protocols. Awareness of these conditions, with correct diagnosis and modification of management protocols accordingly, may resolve this problem.