Comparative effect of aerobic physical activity and occlusal stabilization appliances on musculoskeletal orofacial pain in individuals with temporomandibular disorders

This study evaluated the efficacy of aerobic physical activity (APA) in managing musculoskeletal orofacial pain in individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) compared to treatment with an occlusal stabilization appliance (OSA). Volunteers with musculoskeletal pain aged between 18 and 40 and with bimaxillary teeth involved. The analog verbal scale was used to evaluate the pain variable. Each treatment group included seven individuals evaluated for eight (APA) and six (OSA) weeks, respectively. APA showed a significant weekly decrease of 0.155 points in pain measurement. As for the OSA, the trend was even stronger than in the APA treatment-the difference was substantial. This study demonstrated that both the OSA and APA contributed to reducing musculoskeletal orofacial pain in volunteers suffering from TMD.
Source: Odontoestomatologia - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research