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Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2004 December;163(6):227-31

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

The bite plane in temporomandibular joint disorders therapy

Cardelli P., Massaro P., Lattari M., Fiorito R., Ottria L., Barlattani A.

Corso di Laurea in Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Roma «Tor Vergata», Roma

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are due to extra and rarely intra joint alterations. They are characterized by pain, click, functional restrictions and opening mouth reduction. Both muscle and joint damage can be correlated to diurnal and nightly parafunction, voluntary and involuntary, often associated to the psychological condition of the patient. The symptomatic and painless therapy is often the bite plane, a very simple and effective method that obtains not to alter occlusal plane. Hawley bite, anterior jig, anterior bite plane, and Michigan guide, are some examples of bite plane. Their function consists in deleting propriocective memory during closing mouth in maximal intercuspidation. They are very useful when muscular system does not work in parafunctional activity. Anterior bite is the most used bite plane therapy during functional disc dislocation, but we have to remember that this kind of bite has some consequences. Furthermore it is a common opinion that the etiology of TMD is multifactorial, and in that case we have to integrate a pharmacological, physiotherapeutic and psychological treatment with the bite plane.