The state of microcirculation and identification of microcirculatory predictors of chronic pain in younger patients with functional disorders of the masticatory system affected by connective tissue dysplasia

Relevance . Occlusal splints, made for the patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), influence proprioceptive sensitivity, sensory characteristics of pain, parameters of microcirculation of the pulp and periodontium of the healthy teeth. Condition of the pulp and periodontium of the healthy teeth should be assessed in patients with TMD associated with connective tissue dysplasia (CTD). Materials and methods . The study examined 36 TMD patients aged 26.3 ± 1.3 лет (М ± m) with CTD (n = 20, main group) and without CTD (n = 16, control group); with natural teeth, without complaints of TMD, masticatory muscles and periodontal condition. Laser doppler flowmetry (LDF) helped to analyze blood flow parameters in the periodontium and pulp of the healthy teeth. Received results were statistically analyzed. Results . Wavelet analysis revealed different microcirculatory flowmotion: high-amplitude irregular type was in patients of the main group, low-amplitude regular type was in controls. In the main group, perfusion is supported by high values of flux and vasomotion, ergotropic sympathetic effects (controlled by catecholamines) prevail, myogenic tone is reduced, elevated microvascular tone reflects possible changes in rheologic blood properties, microcirculatory signs of pain syndrome and relatively elevated ischemic index in pulp microcirculation of healthy teeth. Conclusion . Sensory and regulatory mechanisms, reflected by the condition of periodontium and pulp blood flow, can be regarded as early signs of inflammation and chronic pain in the diagnosis of TMD in patients without complaints.