Abstract
Pumping into the upper joint cavity of the TMJ was done on patients who had reducible disc displacement with pain. This article discusses the change in TMJ sounds before and after the Pumping treatment. 20subjects(mean age of $32.1{\pm}10.2yr$)were selected among those who visited the department of Oral Medicine of Yonsei University for the treatment of craniomandibular dysfunctions. Through a thorough history taking, clinical exam and X-ray taking these subjects were diagnosed as reducible disc displacement patients, and they were subdivided into two groups as acute and chronic according to the time the TMJ sound was made. Sonopak was used to measure the TMJ sound before, right after and one-week after the Pumping treatment. VAS was used to measure the degree of subjective TMJ complaints(sounds and pain) before and one-week after the Pumping treatment. Vibration related items included total integral, high integral, low integral, ratio of high integral to low integral, peak amplitude, peak frequency and median frquency. 1. It was not statistically significant between the acute and chronic groups before the treatment. However, total integral, high integral, low integral, peak amplitude, peak frequency, median frequency showed to be greater in the chronic group. 2. In all the subjects, just after the Pumping treatment was done, total integral, high and low integral, peak amplitude and peak frequency significantly decreased (p<0.05). Even after one week, low integral, peak frequency and median frequency significantly decreased (p<0,05), and the TMJ sound diminished accordingly. 3. Comparing the two groups(before and right after the Pumping treatment), there was the following difference ; in the acute group, high integral, high amplitude, high frequency and median frequency significantly decreased(p<0.05). In the chronic group, total integral, high integral, low integral, ratio, peak amplitude and peak frequency significantly decreased(p<0,05). It was not statistically significant between the acute and chronic group. 4. Comparing the two groups(right after and one week after the Pumping treatment), there was the following difference : in the acute group, high integral, high amplitude, high frequency and median frequency significantly decreased(p<0.05), In the chronic group, low integral significantly decreased(p<0.05). However, although it was not statistically significant, after one week, there was an increase in total integral, ratio, peak amplitude and peak frequency compared to right after the treatment group. 5. In the VAS of before and one week after the Pumping treatment of the TMJ pain and sound, the TMJ pain significantly decreased(p<0.05) in both the acute and chronic group. However, it was not statistically significant between the two groups. There was a statistically significant decrease(p<0.05) in the TMJ sound in the acute group after one week of Pumping treatment, but no change was notable in the chronic group and it was not statistically significant between the two groups. From the above results, we can conclude that Pumping into the upper joint cavity of patients having reducible disc displacement is effective in reducing clicking and pain. Therefore, it can be applied in diverse clinical fields.
(Dept. of Oral Medicine, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University)