Evaluation of mandibular movement in children with and without temporomandibular disorders

Abstract

Introduction: Mandibular movement corresponds to the functionality of the stomatognathic system and its evaluation can contribute as a comparison between children with and without temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Objectives: To evaluate the mandibular movement of children from 6 to 10 years with or without dysfunction. Methods: For assessment of mandibular movement, a digital caliper was used, and the Fonseca’s questionnaire was used to distribute the groups. The children were divided into two groups: Group 1 (G1) without TMD, and Group 2 (G2) with TMD. Results: When mouth opening was compared between groups, G1 presented opening of 42.74 mm, and G2 42.79 mm; in a comparison between genders, male mouth opening was 42.36 mm versus 43.28 mm for females. Conclusion: Measurement of mouth opening did not show a statistically significant difference between groups with and without dysfunction, as well as between genders, even the female children showing greater extent than the male children.