title: Orofacial Manifestations and Temporomandibular Disorders of Systemic Scleroderma: An Observational Study.
abstract: Scleroderma is a disorder involving oral and facial tissues, with skin hardening, thin lips, deep wrinkles, xerostomia, tongue rigidity, and microstomia. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral manifestations and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) patients compared with healthy people. Eighty patients (6 men, 74 women) fulfilling ACR/EULAR SSc Criteria were enrolled. A randomly selected group of 80 patients, matched by sex and age served as control group. The examination for TMD signs and symptoms was based on the standardized Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) through a questionnaire and clinical examination. SSc patients complained more frequently (78.8%) of oral symptoms (Xerostomia, dysgeusia, dysphagia and stomatodynia) than controls (28.7%) (χ² = 40.23 p = 0.001). TMD symptoms (muscle pain on chewing, difficulty in mouth opening, headaches) were complained by 92.5% of SSc patients and by 76.2% of controls (χ² = 8.012 p = 0.005). At the clinical examination, 85% of SSc patients showed restricted opening versus 20.0% of controls (χ² = 67.77 p = 0.001), 81.2% of SSc showed reduced right lateral excursion versus 50% of controls (χ² = 17.316 p = 0.001); 73.8% of SSc showed limited left lateral excursion versus 53.8% of controls (χ² = 6.924 p = 0.009); and 73.8% of SSc had narrow protrusion versus 56.2% of controls (χ² = 5.385 p = 0.02).
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Odontostomatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. vito.crincoli@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Crincoli
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Odontostomatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. laura.fatone@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fatone
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Nuclear Medicine-Medical Statistics, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. margherita.fanelli@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanelli
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Odontostomatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. rossanarotolo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rossana Patricia
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rotolo
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Rheumatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. angelachiala@libero.it.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chialà
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Odontostomatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. gianfranco.favia@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favia
authors.affiliation: Complex Operating Unit of Rheumatology, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari., Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. giovanni.lapadula@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lapadula
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
keywords: oral manifestation; scleroderma; temporomandibular disorders