Glucosaminoglycan Phonophoresis of the TMJ in the Symptomatic Treatment of Internal Derangement

摘要

Internal derangement is the medical condition, which may affect the joint and indirectly the masticatory muscles. A newly designed dental and physiotherapeutic approach of the head and neck area is presented and assessed with pain relieving results in a patient suffered by internal derangement of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with reduction. The combined use of soft mandibular splint, phonophoresis of glucosaminoglycan at 1MHz and massage used to relief mandibular function and relieve acute disability. The pre-treatment inter-incisal distance measured at 25 mm, while the post-treatment mouth opening measured at 38 mm. In the follow up, three months later the patient was pain free and discharged. The current treatment plan was not reported before in the literature and composed of non- surgical methods. The physiotherapy may be helpful in symptomatic relief of internal derangement and muscular tension of the craniofacial system and considered to be a non-invasive, topical and physically supportive to the first line dental treatment modalities.