The Rehabilitation Management of Chronic Disc Displacement of TMJ with a Specific Functional Device: Long Term Results of 141 Patients - Special Issue

Background: Biomechanical intra capsular dysfunctions may develop into a pathological state that leads to the limitation of mouth opening caused by displacement of the articular disc without reduction, called closed lock. Various surgical and nonsurgical therapies for the treatment of this pathology have been proposed. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate, through a retrospective longitudinal study, the efficacy and efficiency of the conservative treatment with a new device, called RADICA, specifically designed and patented for chronic joint lock treatment. Methods: 141 patients were recruited according to specific criteria from those arrived at our observation unit in the decade 2001-2012. All patients were analyzed by measuring and comparing in the short and medium term specific clinical parameters according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). The data were evaluated by descriptive statistics and Kendall Tau-band Goodman and Kruskal's gamma coefficient tests. Results: The results achieved by the application of the conservative treatment protocol with the RADICA device have shown evident and significant improvements of all parameters related to the functional recovery or to the different painful states analyzed. Conclusion: In view of these findings, this study suggest that this pathological state should be treated as early as possible to get an effective and efficient therapeutic response that minimizes the progressive alteration of joint structure and limits the increase of comorbidity. Moreover, these data indicate that the distracting RADICA device represents the device of choice for the treatment of TMD joint lock.