Opposing posterior tooth occlusal surface “milling” engagement that occurs early in an excursive movement, in and around the central fossa prior to when the anterior guidance lifts the posterior teeth apart. The duration of the excursive frictional engagement is equal to the time duration that the involved teeth compress their respective periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors. The PDL mechanoreceptor compressions in turn, hyperactivate the masticatory musculature.
Published in Chapter:
Employing the T-Scan/BioEMG III Synchronized Technologies to Diagnose and Treat Chronic Occluso-Muscle Disorder
Robert B. Kerstein, DMD (Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, USA & Private Dental Practice Limited to Prosthodontics, USA)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 153
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-9254-9.ch007
Abstract
This chapter discusses chronic occluso-muscle disorder, which is a myogenous subset of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms resultant from occlusally activated muscle hyperactivity. It also describes the computer-guided occluso-muscle disorder treatment known as disclusion time reduction (DTR), that studies repeatedly show reduces many common muscular temporomandibular disorder symptoms. T-Scan-based research since 1991 has determined that a significant etiologic component of occluso-muscle disorder is prolonged (in time) occlusal surface friction shared between opposing posterior teeth during mandibular excursions, that occurs in both normal chewing function and during parafunction. This friction results in prolonged compressions of the periodontal ligament (PDL) fibers of the involved teeth, which when in excursive opposing occlusal contact, also experience pulpal flexure that leads to pulpal neural activation, which together with the periodontal ligament compressions, trigger excess muscle contractions within the masticatory muscles. It is this unique neuroanatomy that incites and perpetuates many chronic muscular TMD symptomatology, that can be readily resolved in patients that meet the diagnostic criteria for DTR candidacy, using the ICAGD coronoplasty that is performed in the maximum intercuspal position (MIP), without employing treatment splints, deprogrammers, appliances, orthotics, or mandibular repositioning. Additionally, this chapter will highlight the newest disclusion time reduction therapy (DTR) studies that support the clinical implementation of this highly effective measured occlusal treatment for occluso-muscle disorder.