Therapeutic protocols with Tecar® System in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders

Inthetreatmentofdisordersofthecranio-cervical-mandibularsystemtherearedifferentpathologicalprocesses,intra-andextra-articular,capsular-tendonandmuscular,whichareparticularlyresistanttotreatmentwithmedication,manualphysiotherapyandbite.TheaimofthisstudyistopresentaninitialclinicalevaluationofusingTecar®systemasacomplementarytherapytorecoversomeacuteandchronicdisordersofthetemporomandibularjoint.Thistherapyisstillapartofcomprehensivedental-gnathologicaltherapy(bite)andphysiotherapy(manualtherapy). MATERIALSANDMETHODS: ThemachineusedinthispreliminarystudyistheTecar®UnibellHCR701.Fourteenpatientsweretreated: •6,withpainandfunctionallimitations,hadanamnesticallyclenchingandbruxism; •5withacutemonolateralTMD,including3acutedockingand2withrecent(lessthanamonth)mutualclick; •3withchronicdockinganamnesticallypresentforoverayear. Theprotocolusedisdifferentforthethreeclinicalsituationsset. RESULTS: Thetherapeuticactiondependsbothontheendothermiceffectandrisingenergypotentialofcellmembranes.Dependingonthepowerused,threephasescanbeobserved,characterizedbywell-definedbiologicaleffects:cellbio-stimulation,analgesia,increasedbloodflowandlymphaticdrainage.Tecartherapycanbeusedforthetreatmentofacuteandchronicjointdiseasesusingtwospecificprogramsthatcanproduceheatingoroperateinathery.InourpreliminaryresultsTecartherapywaseffectiveintreatingthefollowingdisorders:patientswithextra-articularchronicalmuscle-typediseases;patientswithacutetraumaandlossofarticulardisc;patientswithintraarticularchronicdiseaseandpermanentlossofthearticulardisc.Thesepatientswerefollowedfortherestwithnormaldentaltreatmentprotocols(bite)andphysiotherapy(Rocabadotecnique). CONCLUSIONS: Theobtainedresults,becauseofrapidresolutionoftheclinicalsymptoms,allowtoindicateTecartherapyasaneffectiveinstrumentinthecomplementarytreatmentofmuscularandosteoarticularTMD.However,thetrialisstillongoing,andrequiresanextensionoftheseriesandlongerfollow-up.