Quantitative Sensory Testing for Occlusal Discomfort Syndrome

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19105
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57050:Prosthodontics-related
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: SAKAKI Mika (本田実加) 日本大学, 松戸歯学部, 助教 (00800749)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 咬合違和感 / QST / GHQ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Occlusal discomfort syndrome has been defined as persistent uncomfortable feelings of intercuspal position continuing for more than 6 months without evidence of physical occlusal discrepancy. Although various dental treatments (e. g. occlusal adjustment, orthodontic treatment and prosthetic reconstruction) are attempted to solve occlusal dysesthesia, they rarely reach a satisfactory result, neither for patients nor dentists. The aim of this study was to investigate somatosensory of gingiva between occlusal discomfort syndrome patients and healthy participants by using a standardized battery of quantitative sensory testing(QST). Moreover, Psychological factors were evaluated with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ).
Our result suggest that occlusal discomfort syndrome may be more related to psychological factors than somatosensory.

Free Research Field

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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在、咬合違和感は精神疾患に起因、あるいは末梢の自己感覚受容機能の失調に起因するという報告があるがその分類は困難であり、診断方法の確立がされておらず、多くの歯科医師を悩ませている。本研究では、咬合違和感を訴える患者と健常者のQSTを用いた歯肉の感覚検査およびGHQをも用いた心理社会的因子を比較し検討を行った。将来的にQSTおよびGHQを用いて咬合違和感を訴える患者の原因を分類し、その対処法の立案の一助となると考えられる。