Are there evidences of correlation between temporomandibular dysfunction and orthodontic treatment?

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of this study was verifying, through literature review, whether there are evidences of correlation between temporomandibular dysfunctions and the orthodontic treatment. Material and Methods: Papers published from 1981 to 2015 were excluded and 41 articles and 06 books composed this review. Results: It is known that temporomandibular dysfunctions is a general term that represents signals and symptoms involving masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint and associated structures, and it is the main cause of pain from non-dental origin in the orofacial region, including head, face and other structures. Its etiology is multifactorial involving a large number of direct and indirect causes. Among them, the occlusion was already considered one of the main etiological factors for temporomandibular dysfunction. From epidemiological studies, it is known that signals and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction occur in healthy people, they are common in children and adolescents and tend to increase with age, particularly after adolescence, from 13 to 45 years old. The hypothesis for causality between orthodontics and temporomandibular dysfunction has led to legal problems for dentists and orthodontists. For these reasons, the interest on the relation among occlusal factors, orthodontic treatments and temporomandibular dysfunction has growth and several studies were carried out. Conclusions: We conclude that until this moment, it is not possible affirm that the orthodontic treatment could prevent, cure or cause temporomandibular dysfunction.