Prevalence of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and its signs among the partially edentulous patients in a village of North Gujarat.

UNLABELLED: There is disagreement about the association between missing teeth and the presence of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). AIM: To investigate whether, the span of edentulousness, gender, number of quadrants involved, pathological migration and the type of kennedy's classification are related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction signs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical examination of 250 patients (males 99 and females 151) was done among the age group of 35 to 45 years. The patients were partially edentulous for 6 months or more and did not wear any kind of prosthesis. RESULTS: Among 250 subjects, females showed more TMJ dysfunction signs. Clicking sounds were present in 46.5%, mandibular deviation was present in 40% of individuals, TMJ tenderness was observed in 32% and masseter was involved in 32% of individual. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction signs in relation to pathologic migration of teeth show that clicking and mandibular deviation was present in 54.5 and 49.2% and among muscles masseter muscle tenderness 41.9% was more commonly present. Masseter muscle tenderness 64.1% was seen in individuals who were edentulous for more than 5 years. CONCLUSION: Females subjects had a significantly higher prevalence of TMJ dysfunction signs then male subjects. As the span and time of edentulousness, the number of missing teeth and the number of quadrant involved increased, the signs of dysfunction became more prevalent. Among the TMJ dysfunction signs deviation and clicking sound were most frequently observed. The masseter muscle was most commonly affected and demonstrated muscle tenderness.

A study to evaluate the frequency and association of various mucosal conditions among geriatric patients.

UNLABELLED: Geriatric dentistry or gerodontics is the delivery of dental care to older adults involving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems associated with normal aging and age-related diseases as part of an interdisciplinary team with other health care professionals. AIM: To evaluate the oral mucosal status in the elderly population of different age group and fnd out the association of age, gender and denture with oral mucosal disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 570 geriatric persons concentrating mainly on the oral mucosal changes or lesions occurring in the geriatric population. Individuals those are aged above 60 years were selected, and all the examined geriatric persons were categorized into 3 age groups to fnd out the association of oral mucosal lesions in each group. Group I-60 to 65 years, Group II-66 to 70 years, Group III-71 and above years. RESULTS: The sample of 570 elderly patients included 279 (48.95%) men and 291 (51.05%) women in three age groups: 61 to 65 years (40.35%), 66 to 70 years (31.05%), and 71 years and older (28.60%). The sample included 254 (44.56%) dentate patients, 205 (35.96%) denture wearers (partial and complete denture wearers) and 111 (19.47%) edentulous persons who lacked dentures in both the jaws. Almost half of the patients examined (48%) had one or more oral mucosal lesions. The 48% of the patients who presented with oral mucosal lesions, twenty fve different oral mucosal conditions were identifed and the three most common fndings were lingual varices (13.68%), denture induced infammatory fbrous hyperplasia (4.21%), squamous cell carcinoma (4.21%). There was some differences in the distribution of oral mucosal condition among the sexes. Leukoplakia and dysplasia were signifcantly associated with men (p < 0.001) whereas the association of fbroma and lichen planus with women were signifcant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our study it was found that patients in groups II and III had more prevalence of oral mucosal disorders. Lingual varices, oral squamous cell carcinoma, fbroma and denture induced infammatory fbrous hyperplasia were more commonly associated with the geriatric patients. The oral lesions (fbroma and lichen planus) were strongly associated with women while leukoplakia was strongly associated with men. Ageing is an important factor that can infuence the occurrence of mucosal lesions and with age the oral mucosa becomes more permeable to noxious substances and more vulnerable to external carcinogens.