DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUE FOR TEMPOROMANDIBULAR MUSCLE AND JOINT COMPLEX DYSFUNCTION Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC A61B5/01 A61B6/08 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to medicine, namely to dentistry and X-ray diagnostics, and can be used for diagnosing a temporomandibular muscle and joint complex dysfunction. That is ensured by recording infrared radiation from the entire maxillofacial area alternatively from both sides with the use of a thermal camera displaying an infrared colour image of the object depending on its local temperature within the range of +26-+37°C. The examination is performed in the room environment at air temperature +25-+26°C and involves recording local skin temperature by infrared thermography before and after the hulled almond are placed into the oral cavity at a room temperature and chewed continuously for 2 minutes. The nuts are placed into the mouth cavity one by one in an amount and at an interval to enable the patient chewing them moderately intensely mouthful. After the chewing procedure, the thermography is multiply repeated every 1-2 minutes for 10 minutes in total. In case of observing the local hyperthermia, the thermography is continued every 3-4 minutes until facial temperature normalises completely. The thermograms are compared to each other, and if no changes observed, the patient is stated to have the temporomandibular muscle and joint complex highly resistant to chewing load. The one-side or two-side symmetrical local hyperthermia up to 15 minutes long shows the satisfactory resistance of the temporomandibular muscle and joint complex to chewing load. If the local hyperthermia lasts longer or appears to be asymmetrical, the two-side or one-side low resistance of the temporomandibular muscle and joint complex to chewing load accompanied by a dental disease is stated. The method provides safe, accurate and contactless local X-ray diagnostic examination accompanied by graduating physical chewing load and determining local temperature variations of the examined face skin area in a projection of the involved segment thereafter that makes it possible to assess its resistance to chewing load in the environment, which preventing an irreversible injury thereof and verifying the dental disease, including in pregnant women with mounted dental constructs for non-functional occlusion.

EFFECT: diagnosing the temporomandibular muscle and joint complex dysfunction.

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