Journal of Dental Research, Vol 64, 1392-1395, Copyright © 1985 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Temporomandibular joint sounds related to orthodontic therapy
C. Sadowsky, Z. F. Muhl, E. I. Sakols and J. M. Sommerville
A cross-sectional survey for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds was
conducted on 347 orthodontic patients before, during, and after treatment.
Those patients who reported joint sounds, or in whom sounds were noted on
clinical examination, were subjected to an audiovisual evaluation which was
recorded on videotape to identify more precisely the character of the
sounds during jaw opening and closing. TMJ sounds were quite common before,
during, and after orthodontic treatment. There was a significant
association among three variables: joint sounds, age, and treatment. It is
not clear, however, whether joint sounds increased due to orthodontic
treatment, age, or both. No significant associations were found between TMJ
sounds and functional occlusal factors. Significantly more sounds were
noted by the examiners than were reported by the patients. Medium or high
amplitude sounds were evident in 32.6% of the 135 subjects who underwent
the audiovisual examination.
