Effectiveness of Physical Therapy in the Correction of the Functional Status of the Temporomandibular Joint in Arthrosis
Authors:   Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Department of Physical Therapy, Ergotherapy. 57, Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk 76018, Ukraine, Aravitska M. G. , Sheremeta L. M. ,   Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Department of Physical Therapy, Ergotherapy. 57, Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk 76018, Ukraine, Danylchenko S. I. ,   Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University. 10, 68 Desantnykiv St., Mykolaiv 54003, Ukraine, O. V. Dovgan ,   Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University. 10, 68 Desantnykiv St., Mykolaiv 54003, Ukraine
Published: December 2021

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of a physical therapy program on the state of functioning of the maxillofacial region in patients with arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. Materials and methods. The study involved 33 people with arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint of the II-III degrees, which were divided into 2 groups – control and main. The control group consisted of 18 people who received arthrosis therapy only with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The main group consisted of 15 people who additionally underwent the developed program of physical therapy (therapeutic exercises, massage, post-isometric relaxation, kinesiotaping of the masticatory muscles, neck muscles, cervical-collar zone; paraffin therapy course for the temporomandibular joint area, patient education). Complaints of patients, the intensity of pain in the temporomandibular joint on a visual analogue scale, the amount of mouth opening were determined, and auscultation of the joint was performed. Results and discussion. After the completion of the treatment course (for patients of the control group) and physical therapy (for the patients of the main group), pain in the temporomandibular joint did not manifest itself at rest and during movement. This is explained, in particular, by the fact that the basis of conservative treatment of arthrosis is the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic effects. At the same time, the usage of physical therapy, in comparison with medications, in the main group was statistically significant (p <0.05) in relation to control patients, it improved the functional activity of the jaw area and the functioning of the temporomandibular joint, which was manifested by a decrease in the number of persons with complaints of pathological sounds during jaw movements and their auscultatory detection, discomfort when chewing, as well as an increase in the magnitude of opening the mouth. Restoration of the condition of patients with diseases of the maxillofacial region, and, in particular, the temporomandibular joint, is an urgent problem not only for dentists, but also for specialists in the field of rehabilitation, in particular, physical therapists. The objectives of physical therapy in patients with arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint are to reduce the load on the joint, eliminate and reduce pain, synovitis, myalgia, improve joint function, stimulate and activate metabolic processes in cartilaginous and bone tissues, normalize blood flow, and thus improve quality of life. Conclusion. Physical therapy means improve the functional ability of the temporomandibular joint in the complex recovery of patients with arthrosis statistically significantly better than monotherapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs