Discussion Topic: Implants causing TMD?

Temporomandibular dysfunction is not limited to occlusal scheme reasons. The same changes to the masticatory system caused by restorations on teeth that can promote temporomandibular dysfunction also apply when the restorations are on implants. When TMD is present, but not diagnosed prior to treatment, it will be harder to explain to patients, especially if it creates complications not disclosed in advance.

THE PROBLEM AS I SEE IT; I am a GP in business for 40 years, absolutely fascinated by the confusion over occlusion. We direct patients to go into lateral excursions when normal function is vertical. We try to balance dentures and wind up with flat teeth. How can teeth be balanced when there is food between? The majority of TMD is nothing more than repetitive motion trauma from Dental Compression Syndrome (DCS), AKA parafunction, bruxism. One has to speculate the these patients probably lost there teeth originally from DCS, and now we install implants and duplicate an already flattened occlusion and expect them to be comfortable. Teeth were originally designed to be incredibly sharp. That’s how we cut our food, yet we install flat plane teeth in dentures and expect them to eat. Have too much info to put in this box. Visit www.toothcrunch.com Gene McCoy DDS

from my point of view, the most important issue about implant is the absence of PDL, not in sense of there importance for tension and compression on surrounding bone, but as monitor for masticatory force, this monitor deficiency will increase with the increase implants number , and is totally assent full mouth rehabilitation.so trauma to TMJ can occur with absence of protective mechanism

The answer is no one really knows.

Doctors will benefit from reading the papers by Gene McCoy, DDS. His paper on Dental Compresssion Syndrome is a must read for all dentist regardless of the speciality.

The answer is no one really knows, usually multifactoral causes, each patient is different. Sorry.

Most likely there was a change in occlusion from the prosthesis and the doctor did not recognize the change in occlusiontor know how to adjust or correct said occlusion. The recognition of parafunction is critical. Knowing how to treat parafunction is also critical.