Infrared thermography in the assessment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction against the background of biomechanical disorders of the cervical spine

BACKGROUND: The method of infrared medical thermography (IMT), despite its advantages, has not yet found active application in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome and biomechanical disorders of the cervical spine. This article presents the results of a thermographic examination that can be used in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and biomechanical disorders of the cervical spine. AIM: To evaluate the data of medical infrared thermography in temporomandibular joint dysfunction associated with biomechanical disorders of the cervical spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 60 patients who were divided into two groups — the main group (30 people) with the presence of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome and the control group (30 people) without temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The groups underwent a detailed clinical and instrumental examination: clinical manifestations of temporomandibular joint dysfunction were evaluated, as well as imaging, thermal imaging, and electromyographic examination. RESULTS: On IMT examination, diagnostically significant facial thermoasymmetry was found in 70% of patients in the main group and in 6.67% of patients in the control group. Posterior neck thermoasymmetry was detected in 80 and 26.7% of patients, respectively. According to MRI data, static and dystrophic changes of the cervical spine were detected in 73.3% of patients in the main group and 23.3% in the control group. CONCLUSION: The study showed that IMT is highly informative in temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome, allowing early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the disease.