抄録
We report two cases of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) associated with a tongue habit caused by dental treatment.
Case 1: A 75 year old woman was given a fixed partial denture (FPD) with hygienic pontic in her lower right molar region by a general dental practitioner in May 2001. She developed the habit of touching beneath the pontic with her tongue and this generated sharp pain in the right temporomandibular joint and masseter muscle during mastication. All pain disappeared whenthe interdental space was modified by means of a new spheroid pontic.
Case 2: A 72 year old woman had her upper left molar extracted by a general dental practitioner in November 2001. She then developed the involuntary habit of touching the space where the tooth had been with her tongue. The habit stopped when the space was closed by an FPD.
Reversible treatments were implemented prior to the use of FPD in both cases. Thetwo cases showed that changes in the oral cavity can lead to oral habits that result in TMD symptoms.
It is suggested that reversible bridge treatment in such cases is important not only from the direct treatment point of view but also to confirm the diagnosis prior to the final treatment procedure.
