• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.39
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• pp.6.1-6.6
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of four patients receiving stock Biomet TMJ prosthesis for reconstruction of the TMJs. Methods: TMJ reconstruction with stock Biomet TMJ prosthesis was performed in four patients who had joint damages by trauma, tumor, resorption, and ankylosis, which represent the indications of alloplastic prosthesis. Results: Loss of condyle from trauma and resorption of joint are good indications for prosthesis, but the patients should be informed about limitation of jaw movement. In case of structural damage of TMJ by tumor, tumor recurrence should be considered before planning TMJ reconstruction. Considering heterotopic bone formation in case of ankylosis, periodic follow-up and special surgical technique are required. Conclusions: Given careful treatment planning and understanding the functional limitation of TMJ prosthesis, alloplastic prosthesis is a safe and effective management option for the reconstruction of TMJs.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2022

Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent and disabling joint disease in the world. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) exercise is a widely used treatment and could be a beneficial and long-term tool for treating TMJ OA. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of therapeutic exercise in the conservative treatment of TMJ OA. Materials and Methods: A single-group experimental pre-post test was performed. We included patients who met the diagnostic criteria for TMJ OA. Outcome variables were pain intensity (visual analogue scale), functionality (Helkimo index), and structural changes (ultrasound). Follow-up periods were at months 1, 3, and 6. The intervention included a home-based program with thermotherapy, manual therapy, and therapeutic exercise during the entire follow-up period. Results: We included 15 patients and 26 joints, all women with a median age of 57 years (range, 49-62 years). Median change in pain intensity on joint palpation, mouth opening, and at rest at the first month was 47.5 mm, 51 mm, and 60 mm, respectively, and 48 mm, 49.5 mm, and 42.5 mm, at six months (P=0.001). The Helkimo index showed significant improvement in medians from baseline severe dysfunction (17 points) to minimal dysfunction at three and six months (2 points) (P=0.001). Ultrasound showed improved disc position. Conclusion: This study demonstrated significant improvements in pain, function, and joint disc position and represents a valuable tool for the long-term treatment of patients with TMJ OA.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.140-145
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• 2014

Purpose: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is one of the most common diseases causing chronic orofacial pain. Prolotherapy is called 'regenerative injection therapy' or 'growth factor stimulation injection', and it induces the functional reactivation of tissues such as ligaments and tendons. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided prolotherapy with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for the patients who had the TMD symptoms, especially in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, restricted mouth opening, and TMJ sound. Methods: Twenty-seven patients visited Chosun University Dental Hospital with the symptoms of pain, restricted mouth opening, and TMJ sound were included in this study. When the patients visited the hospital, we measured; the degree of pain, range of mouth opening (ROM), and TMJ sound, and grouped them according to their chief complaints. TMJ pain and ROM were measured both at the first visit and the fourth week after the PRP injection, and also evaluated the impact of the treatment on their daily activities. Results: After the treatment, the patients in the TMJ pain group showed some improvement (visual analogue scale [VAS] 5.6 to 3.6), and the patients in the restricted mouth opening group exhibited increased ROM (26 mm to 32 mm; p<0.05). On the other hand, the patients in the TMJ sound group had no improvement. Conclusions: PRP prolotherapy could be effective for the treatment of TMJ pain and restricted mouth opening. However, further studies are still necessary in terms of TMJ sound and longterm effect of PRP prolotherapy.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.475-478
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to identify the level of masseter muscle tension according to the levels of restricted movement and pain in the temporomandibular joint(TMJ), thereby verifying the fact that excessive masseter muscle tension can be a cause for restricted movement and pain in the TMJ. The subjects of this study were 81 men and women in their 20s and 30s, who feel uncomfortable with their masticatory function on the preferred chewing side. The subjects were measured in terms of the range of motion (ROM) and deviation of the TMJ and the degree of pain in the affected region. The ROM and deviation of the TMJ were measured using the Global Posture System(GPS) after instructing each subject to open his/her mouth to the fullest and taking photos of the subject with a digital camera. The tension of the masseter muscle was measured with a Pressure Threshold Meter(PTM). After the measurements, in order to compare the ROM of the TMJ, the subjects were divided into two groups based on the ROM of above 35mm and below 35mm. For the deviation and pain, based on the average of total subjects, the subjects were divided into two groups of above and below average. Thereafter, the levels of masseter muscle tension were compared between each pair of groups. According to the results, when each variable was compared between the respective two groups, in terms of the deviation, the pressure pain threshold(PPT) of the masseter muscle revealed a statistically significant difference(p<.05). However, the ROM and pain showed no statistically significant difference. Consequently, masseter muscle tension may cause restricted movement in the TMJ. In particular, the deviation and tension in the masseter muscle is considered to be a factor that causes deviation in the TMJ.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was to determine the effects of surgical induction of anterior disc displacement (ADD) on the distribution of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen fiber arrangement in the rabbit temporomandibular joint (TMJ) tissues including articular cartilage of condyle, disc, retrodiscal tissue, and articular eminence. Methods: We used van Gieson staining and Alcian blue critical electrolyte concentration (CEC) method to observe change of collagen fibers on disc and to measure GAG up to 10 weeks in TMJ tissues after surgical induction of ADD on 25 rabbits. Results: CEC measurements for GAG showed 0.3 M, 0.4 M, 0.6 M, and 0.8 M at 1 week, 2 weeks, 3, 4, and 8 weeks, 10 weeks, respectively. This result indicated that GAGs shifted to highly sulphated ones as time passed. Disruption of collagen fiber arrangement in the disk occurred at 10 days and aggravated at 3 weeks. Conclusion: Our study showed degenerative osteoarthritis changes in rabbit TMJ following surgical induction of ADD up to 10-week period.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.459-463
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• 2008

Postural balance of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reflects the neuromuscular balance. TMJ posture treatment for meridian yinyang balance has been asserted to have an impact upon cervical spine alignment with an episodic good clinical result for refractory torticollis cases. A retrospective study with one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted to review cervical spine imaging data and clinical symptom changes in cervical dystonia cases to explore the effect of TMJ balance treatment. Review of clinical symptoms and cervical spine imaging data including computed tomography and simple x-ray of 9 cervical dystonia cases revealed significant improvement of cervical spine alignment and clinical symptoms. Improvement of cervical spine alignment may be an underlying mechanism of TMJ balance treatment, as a way of balancing the whole-body meridian system.

• Journal of TMJ Balancing Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2018

Recently, clinical efficacies of the intraoral balancing appliance therapy have been reported by several researchers, and it has been found that there are various kinds of diseases that can be effectively applied. However, studies on cerebrovascular disease, one of the main diseases with a high mortality rate, are still poorly reported, and studies of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)-induced changes in brain function suggest that cerebrovascular disease is more appropriate as an adaptive disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) balancing device. In the developed countries, the importance of research on the structure and function of the brain has been recognized and spurred on the related research. In Korea, the research on brain function and cognitive disorders should have promoted more massively. In order to regain its former reputation in the Korean medicine in the field of cerebrovascular disease, it should be spurred on basic research and clinical case studies. In addition, extensive and in-depth studies including animal studies are needed to establish the basis of underlying mechanisms of the TMJ balancing therapies.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2023

Nodular fasciitis (NF) is a benign myofibroblastic proliferation that grows very rapidly, mimicking a sarcoma on imaging. It is treated by local excision, and recurrence has been reported in only a few cases, even when excised incompletely. The most prevalent diagnoses of temporomandibular joint(TMJ) masses include synovial chondromatosis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, and sarcomas. Cases of NF in the TMJ are extremely rare, and only 3 cases have been reported to date. Due to its destructive features and rarity, NF has often been misdiagnosed as a more aggressive lesion, which could expose patients to unnecessary and invasive treatment approaches beyond repair. This report presents a case of NF in the TMJ, focusing on various imaging features, along with a literature review aiming to determine the hallmark features of NF in the TMJ and highlight the diagnostic challenges.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2009

the primary diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis of temporomandibular joint is extremely rare. often many months, or even years pass before the diagnosis is confirmed. synovial chondromatosis is an uncommon disease of cartilage transformation of synovial membrane with formation of loose bodies within the joint space. a 28-year-old women had experienced pain of the left TMJ area at mastication. Radiographs of the left TMJ revealed calcified loose bodies in superior temporomandibular joint space. treatment consisted of removal of calcified loose bodies and synovail membrane. after surgery, pain of Lt temporomandibular area at mastication disappeared. until present after surgery there have been no recuurence of symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.335-344
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to clarify the spatial relationship of temporomandibular joint and to an aid in the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorder. For this study, three-dimensional images of normal temporomandibular joints were reconstructed by computer image analysis system and three-dimensional reconstructive program integrated in computed tomography. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Two-dimensional computed tomograms had the better resolution than three dimensional computed tomograms in the evaluation of bone structure and the disk of TMJ. 2. Direct sagittal computed tomograms and coronal computed tomograms had the better resolution in the evaluation of the disk of TMJ. 3. The positional relationship of the disk could be visualized, but the configuration of the disk could not be clearly visualized on three-dimensional reconstructive CT images. 4. Three-dimensional reconstructive CT images had the smoother margin than three-dimensional images reconstructed by computer image analysis system, but the images of the latter had the better perspective. 5. Three-dimensional reconstructive images had the better spatial relationship of the TMJ articulation, and the joint spaces were more clearly visualized on dissection images.