The efficacy of orofacial myofunctional therapy in oral dysphagia accompanying temporomandibular dysfunction

ABSTRACT

Objective

Patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) may develop oral-stage dysphagia (OD) in the chronic phase.

Methods

This study investigated the effect of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) in individuals with TMD-related OD. Fifty-one patients aged 18–65 years with TMD-related OD were separated into three groups using a simple randomization method: the control group (n = 12) underwent patient education and a home-exercise program; additionally, to an exercise program the manual therapy (MT) group (n = 19) received MT; and the OMT group (n = 20) received the OMT program. MT and OMT were applied in two sessions per week for 10 weeks. The patients were re-evaluated after treatment and at 3 months.

Results

The OMT group showed the most improvement in jaw functionality, swallowing-related quality of life, pain, and dysphagia (p < .05).

Discussion

OMT was superior to MT and exercises alone in reducing dysphagia and improving the swallowing-related quality of life.

KEYWORDS:

• Temporomandibular dysfunction
• oral dysphagia
• orofacial myofunctional therapy
• manual therapy
• swallowing quality of life

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank their patients who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributors

All listed authors made valuable contributions to the development of this manuscript. Conception and Design: AT, HCG. Collection and assembly of data: HCG; Analysis and interpretation of the data: AT, HCG; Drafting of the article: AT, HCG, Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content and final edition of the manuscript: AT.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Bilimsel Araştırmalar Projesi (BAP, Turkey).