Progressive Muscle Relaxation According to Jacobson in Treatment of the Patients With Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Temporomandibular joint disorders are ranked third among the most common stomatological diseases after dental caries and periodontal problems. Type of dysfunction is determined by environmental, genetic and psycho-emotional factors. It has been observed that increasing level of stress leads to the increase of harmful parafunctional habits in the stomatognathic system whose long-term effect prevents the ability of the organism to compensate and adapt the function, which contributes to the pain within the masticatory system. Nowadays applied methods in treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders are still under investigation. However, they have not been developed effectively yet. Satisfactory methods of masticatory muscle relaxation (with the exception for drug treatment) are only related to mental patients. Significant impact factor and psycho-emotional stress in the etiology of dysfunction indicate the need of the routine approach in the treatment of patients with temporomandibular joint disorders to be changed. The attempt to cooperate with a psychologist may facilitate the effectiveness of traditional rehabilitation of patients with dysfunction.