Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the features of patients with persistent uncomfortable occlusion (PUO).
Methods: Clinical states of 39 patients with PUO that was not improved by dental treatment for six months or more were retrospectively examined.
Results: In all patients, the events involved in the onset of the uncomfortable sense were dental treatments. PUO improved in 17 patients after treatment in our clinic but did not change in 22 patients. The mean periods of PUO and the mean numbers of dental clinics visited before visiting our clinic were 40.8 months and 2.3, respectively, in the improved group and 55.5 months and 3.1, respectively, in the non-improved group. However, there was no significant difference between these data in the two groups. No significant relationship was found between treatment results and age, sex, events involved in the onset of the uncomfortable sense, expressions of chief complaints, occlusal contacts and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. There was a significant relationship between medication with muscle relaxants and treatment results. The following patterns of occlusal states were included in PUO; obvious malocclusion, malocclusion detected by strict examination, malocclusion resulting from patients’ intolerance, malocclusion not associated with patients’ complaint and no observable abnormality of occlusion.
Conclusion: The results suggested that PUO includes several patterns of occlusal states and that not all cases of PUO are morbid and incurable. It is difficult to predict the prognosis of PUO only by data concerning clinical history of PUO and occlusal contacts at the initial examination.
