The Thermal Influence of Oral Rehabilitation on the Cranio-Cervico-Mandibular Complex: A Thermographic Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: Assess the thermal effect of prosthodontic treatment on the cranio-cervico-mandibular complex using infrared thermography. Methods: The treatment group was composed of adults of both sexes who underwent a prosthodontic treatment in which at least posterior occlusal contacts were added and/or the vertical dimension of occlusion was reestablished. The control group (CG) was constituted of adult subjects of both sexes, with no more than a single missing posterior tooth, excluding third molars. Thermograms were taken of the treatment group with a Flir i7 IR camera both before oral rehabilitation (TGB; n = 33) and two months after treatment was concluded (TGA; n = 19). CG (n = 33) had only one occasion for data acquisition. Results: Statistically significant differences were found when the thermal difference (ΔT) and the health status of the orbicularis oris muscle were compared between the TGB and the TGA groups (p = 0.020 and p = 0.003, respectively). By comparing the health status of the masseter muscle between the CG and TGB, statistically significant differences were also observed (p = 0.030). Conclusion: A prosthodontic treatment appears to have a minimum or null effect on the ΔT and/or on the health status of the TMJ and the temporal muscle. In contrast, orbicularis oris muscles exhibited significant thermal variations.

Thermal Imaging of Tongue Surface as a Prognostic Method in the Diagnosis of General Diseases—Preliminary Study

“…In the diagnosis of many diseases, in which the surface temperature of the skin may reflect the presence of inflammation in the underlying tissues, and where blood flow is increased or decreased due to clinical abnormalities or drug therapy, temperature assessment is crucial. It is also used as a diagnostic test and to assess the clinical results of treatment [1,[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”