Unilateral vicious mastication ­ The importance and resolution: A case report

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Patients presenting Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) are common in our daily clinical practice. One of the possible conditions that lead to TMD is the habitual chewing side syndrome. Methods: In this case report a clinical approach is presented to manage the TMD related to unilateral vicious mastication. A 42 years old woman presented reporting headaches, difficulty to open mouth, presence of sensitivity in the left ear and TMJ region, soreness on the left side temporal region and sensitivity in the anterior inferior teeth. It was noted that the patient habitually clenched and ground teeth. Patient mentioned chew more on the left side. Results: After confirming the unilateral mastication, a modified therapy based on the Neuro occlusal Rehabilitation was applied through the use of a splint. After 60 days the patient described absence of the previous symptoms and pain relief. Conclusion: The evaluation of the masticatory pattern is often neglected; however, it is of great importance since it can lead to several conditions such as condyle wear, pain, alteration of the occlusal plane, deviation of the medial line, deviation of the mandible at mouth opening, bone alterations, Temporomandibular joint(TMJ) hypofunction, headache, among others.