The objectives of the current study were to analyze the effects of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) on the treatment of subjects with associated articular and muscular temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Thirty subjects with associated articular and muscular TMD, according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC/TMD), were randomly divided into groups: 10 were treated with OMT (T group), 10 with an occlusal splint (OS group), and 10 untreated control group with TMD (SC). Ten subjects without TMD represented the asymptomatic group (AC). All subjects had a clinical examination and were interviewed to determine Helkimo's Indexes (Di and Ai), the frequency and severity of signs and symptoms, and orofacial myofunctional evaluation. During the diagnostic phase, there were significant differences between groups T and AC. There were no significant differences between group T and OC and SC groups. During the final phase, groups T and OS presented significant improvement, however, the group T presented better results and differed significantly from group OS regarding the number of subjects classified as Aill; the severity of muscular pain and TMJ pain; the frequency of headache and the muscles and stomatognathic functions. The group T differed significantly from the SC group but no longer differed significantly from the AC group. OMT favored a significant reduction of pain sensitivity to palpation of all muscles studied but not for the TMJs; an increased measure of mandibular range of motion; reduced Helkimo's Di and Ai scores; reduced frequency and severity of signs and symptoms; and increased scores for orofacial myofunctional conditions.

The OMES protocol is valid and reliable for clinical evaluation of young and adult subjects, among them patients with TMD.

In the TMD group, chewing differed from the normal physiological standard. The number of occlusal interferences and the severity of TMD were variables correlated to chewing.

Patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) often complain and have limitation in masticatory function, which can be affected by a complex interaction of factors. The aim of this study was analyze the masticatory function in patients with TMD using surface electromyography (EMG) and masticatory efficiency (ME). Twenty-seven patients with TMD and 25 considered control (n), aged between 18 and 60 years, paired by age and gender, were evaluated according to RDC/TMD. In both groups were performed: EMG with chewing gum, clinical evaluation of habitual chewing with stuffed cookie (CE) (number of chewing strokes and time) and analysis of ME with fuchsin beads. Nonparametric statistical analyses were used (Mann-Whitney) for comparisons between groups, with 5% significance level. For all variables, the TMD group showed higher values than the control, with statistical significance for ME (p<0.0001), number of chewing strokes (p=0.04), chewing time (p=0.009), right masseter EMG activity (p=0.05), left masseter (p=0.005), right anterior temporal (p=0.05) and left anterior temporal (p=0.001). The conclusion is that patients with TMD showed changed chewing pattern, but without impairment of masticatory function.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:The clinical association between painful temporomandibular disorder and orofacial myofunctional disorders is frequent and requires attention. The objective of this study was to describe a clinical case of painful temporomandibular disorder in association with orofacial myofunctional disorders that evidence the importance of dental and speech therapy approaches involving myofunctional orofacial limits, as well as to discuss whether the presence of orofacial myofunctional disorders can be a comorbidity that hinders the temporomandibular disorder management. CASE REPORT: Female patient, 35 years old, complaining of pain in the orofacial region and joint noises during high amplitude mandibular movements for 17 years. She was diagnosed with myofascial pain and arthralgia (RDC/TMD) and orofacial myofunctional disorders (phonoarticulation with deviations and lingual interposition, atypical swallowing, oromandibular incoordination and mandibular hyperexcursion with eminence noise). Complementary tests (electromyography and electrovibratography) were performed in the pre-and post-treatment moments (1 year after). The treatment consisted of self-management and mindfulness orientations, stabilizing occlusal splint and speech therapy. After the treatment, there was an improvement in pain and mandibular range of motion, with consequent reduction of noise, better electromyographic balance and reduction of orofacial myofunctional disorders scores. CONCLUSION:The case report has suggested that the presence of orofacial myofunctional disorders in association with painful temporomandibular disorder could interfere in the management of pain and the balance of the stomatognathic system because it seems to act as a worsening factor to the temporomandibular Orofacial myofunctional disorder, a possible complicating factor in the management of painful temporomandibular disorder. Case report Distúrbio miofuncional orofacial, um disorder signs and symptoms. In this sense, the importance of dental and speech therapy interventions in patients with orofacial myofunctional disorders as possible comorbidity to painful temporomandibular disorder is highlighted. Keywords: Comorbidity, Speech therapy, Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome. RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS:A associação clínica da disfunção temporomandibular dolorosa com distúrbios miofuncionais orofaciais é bastante frequente e requer atenção. O objetivo deste estudo foi mostrar um caso de disfunção temporomandibular dolorosa com associação de distúrbios miofuncionais orofaciais que evidenciou a importância do manuseio terapêutico odontológico e fonoaudiológico, com abordagens que envolveram limites miofuncionais orofaciais, bem como discutir se a presença de distúr-bios miofuncionais orofaciais pode ser uma comorbidade que dificulta o manuseio da disfunção temporomandibular. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 35 anos, com queixa de dor na região orofacial e ruídos articulares durante movimentos mandibulares de grande amplitude ...