A Research on the Effects of the Chiropractic Treatment on Individuals with Malocclusion as an aid to the Orthodontic Treatment

dal Bello F, Borilli FWFC’S 10th Biennial Congress. International Conference of Chiropractic Research. Montreal, CanadaApr 30 – May 2, 2009: 257-8

Introduction: Malocclusion is the second cause related to TMJ pain complaints1 due to the non-stable contact among superior and inferior teeth leading to functional imbalance between the TMJ and the neuromuscular system of the jaw [1]. Not proper fit of the TMJ will provoke the individual’s adaptation leading to clinical discomfort and functional deficiencies in the system introducing to symptoms such as clicking, muscles spasms, bruxism, cervicalgia, cephalgia, deficiencies on the opening and closing movements of the jaw and pain which take from the individual its wellbeing and enable the normal development of daily activities [2,3]. Orthodontics is the conventional approach to treat this condition making use of induced movement of teeth and bones to correct malocclusion [4]. Although the benefits of correcting centric occlusion may enhance the individual’s well-being, the treatment can be long, expensive, not pleasant and many times not totally efficient mainly because of the dysfunctions developed due to the malocclusion. In order to reach satisfactory results the use of other therapies and methods to recuperate the TMJ and muscles are involved to assist the orthodontic treatment [5].

Methods: The patients of this study were headed to chiropractic treatment by their orthodontist before further orthodontic treatment. All patients had malocclusion diagnosis and TMJ pain. The patients were treated with chiropractic techniques for a period of a month, having 4 visits total. Each individual was evaluated by the orthodontist, focusing on occlusion and its effects in other structures, before and after chiropractic treatment. To be able to evaluate the orthodontic professional’s opinion about the effects of the chiropractic treatment it was used a satisfaction questionnaire after the orthodontist’s second and last evaluation.

Results: The research showed that in 50% of the cases the orthodontist was positive in relation to the occlusion condition. In 66.66% of the cases the orthodontist was positive relating to the chiropractic treatment to the patient with malocclusion. And in 83.33% of the cases the orthodontist was largely positive about the chiropractic treatment as a tool to the orthodontic treatment. In the majority of the cases the orthodontic professional pointed up the benefits of the chiropractic treatment to reduce the different symptoms related to malocclusion, giving the orthodontist better conditions to develop a specific treatment to correct the biomechanical occlusion of each patient satisfactorily.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggests the chiropractic treatment as a great allied to the orthodontic professional, facilitating its procedures due to the symptoms reduction, also supplementing its work to reach the individual’s global health, reducing time and costs of the treatment. It also suggests an interdisciplinary work between chiropractors and orthodontists to promote a greater life quality to the individual with occlusion disorders.

References:

Tosa H., Imai T., Watannabe F., Sumori M., Tsuchida T., Matsuno I., Nakamura S. The clinical study on occurrence of TMJ dysfunction in orthodontic patients. Nippon Kyosei Shika Gakkai Zasshi. August, 1990; 49(4):341-51.
Howat J.M.P. Chiropractic: Anatomy and Physiology of Sacro Occiptal Technique. Cranial Communication Systems: Oxford Press. 1999.
Maciel R.N. Oclusão e ATM: procedimentos clínicos. 1ed. Editora Livraria Santos Comp. Imp. Ltda. São Paulo. 1998.
Brew M.C, Pretto S.M, Ritzel I.F. Odontologia na Adolescência – Uma abordagem para pais,educadores e profissionais da saúde. Editora Mercado Aberto Ltda. Porto Alegre. 2000.
Viazis A.D. Atlas de Ortodontia – Princípios e Aplicações Clínicas. 1st ed. Livraria Santos Editora Com. Imp. Ltda. São Paulo. 1996.

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