Yatsenko O. The clinical and functional characteristics of the masseteric articular-muscular complex in patients with deep overbite and methods of their correction.

According to the analysis of the clinical, arthrographical, electromyographic, and radiographic characteristics of disturbances of the masseteric articular-muscular complex in patients with deep overbite there were soundly identified three severity extents of functional instability of the mandibular articular head (mild extent, moderate extent, advanced extent). The author presented probable etiopathogenetical steps of functional instability development of the mandibular articular head in patients with deep overbite for each severity level. That fact gave us an opportunity to develop and test different methods of treatment for patients with mild extent, moderate extent and advanced extent of functional instability of the mandibular articular head in patients with deep overbite. These methods include the dislodgement of the articular head in the correct anatomical position in the glenoid fossa , therapeutic massage of all groups of masseteric mussels, neck and back muscles, splint therapy (in the form of orthopedic constructions which limit mouth opening and increase one-side occlusion), intra-articular injection of chondroprotectors (Alflutop), masseteric muscles electrostimulation. These methods of treatment were implemented in healthcare and they showed their effectiveness in terms of long-date (96% - in patients with mild extent of functional instability of the mandibular articular head, 96.15% - in patients with moderate extent of functional instability of the mandibular articular head, 90.9% - in patients with advanced extent of functional instability of the mandibular articular head).