THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR OPENING INDEX IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS UNDERGOING SURGICAL EXTRACTION OF MANDIBULAR THIRD MOLARS : APILOT STUDY

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of surgical extraction of impacted mandibular on the Temporomandibular Opening Index (TOI) in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Materials and methods: Ten patients (2 males, 8 females; age range 21 to 33 years) with TMD undergoing surgical extraction of the impacted third molars were recruited in this study. Before the surgical operation and three months after the surgical operation the clinical stomatognathic examinations were carried out by the same dentist, specialized in the stomatognathic physiology, who also determined TOI (in percents) according to the following formula: TOI = Passive opening (mm) - Maximum voluntary opening (mm)/Passive opening (mm) + Maximum voluntary opening (mm) Results: Three months after surgery, a marked improvement in signs and symptoms of TMD, as well as a statistically significant (p < 0.01) decrease in TOI was observed. Conclusion: The TOI seemed to be a good assessment criterion of limitation in mandibular mobility.