“DIGITAL EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONAL OCCLUSAL PARAMETERS USING 3D OCCLUSAL ANALYSIS SYSTEM (TEK SCAN) AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS.

This is a comparitive observational study to assess the impact of occlusal disharmony in the onset of Temporomandibular disorders using three dimensional occlusal analysis system (Tek scan).A total of 44 subjects (19 males and 25 females) within the age range of 15 -65 years were included in the present study and subjects with presence of signs and symptoms of TMD according to research diagnostic criteria (RDC) were grouped into the TMD category and the subjects who were free from the signs and symptoms were included into the control group. A complete intraoral examination of hard tissues was done and the details regarding the type of occlusion i.e. whether the subject is having canine-guided or group function occlusion and type of occlusal interferences i.e. whether the subject is having on the balancing side or working side or during protrusive movements clinically and were also evaluated using articulating paper. Only the subjects having the occlusal interferences and clinical signs and symptoms were included in the study under TMD group. Imaging of TMJ was done according to the requirement to confirm TMD. Based on the clinical signs and symptoms and radiographic signs subjects were given an appropriate diagnosis according to RDC criteria. Various categories included were myofascial pain, disc displacement with reduction, disc displacement without reduction, subluxation of the condyles, TMJ arthritis. Occlusal evaluation was done for all subjects in study and control groups using T-scan (Teck scan) VIII under 3 parameters i.e. occlusion time, disocclusion time in 3 excursive movements and percentage difference in the distribution of forces in between the right and the left halves of the arches and comparisons were made between two groups.Data analysis depicted that occlusal parameters like occlusion time, disocclusion time in right, left and protrusive movements were significantly high for the subjects in the TMD group than the control group.