title: Occlusal contact in children with Temporomandibular Disorders. A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to perform a comparative analysis of occlusal contact points in children with  and without signs and symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. One hundred fifty children between 6 and 14 years of age were evaluated using the Helkimo  questionnaire and a clinical exam. The occlusal contact points in each child were recorded during maximal intercuspation  with the aid of carbon strips. Digital photographs were taken of the upper and lower arches before and after recording the  occlusal contacts. The number of contact points between sides were compared and recorded on individual charts  (occlusograms).
  
  
  METHODS
  Student's t-test and Pearson's chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis, with the level  of significance set at 0.05, which revealed no statistically significant differences between genders. The Student's t-test  revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean number of occlusal contact points between the participants with and  without TMD, with a higher number of contact points among those without TMD. There was no significant difference between  sides. RESULTS The results of this study show a difference in the number of occlusal contact points in centric occlusion  between children with and without TMD. CONCLUSION Regardless of the degree of severity, the number of occlusal contact  points is lower among children with TMD.
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Nove de Julho, Brazil.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Oliveira de Santis
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Jansiski Motta
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Cardoso Guedes
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Santos
authors: K P
authors: KP
authors: Santos Fernandes
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Mesquita Ferrari
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Bussadori
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D010173:Palpation; D023861:Photography, Dental / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000473:pathology; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*