Craniomandibular Disorders and Burning Mouth Syndrome in Removable Denture Wearers

Objectives: The frequent finding of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) in burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients has led the scientific community to hypothesize that the two diseases have common aspects that require further examination. Some authors have evaluated the presence of CMD in patients with BMS. No studies have limited the investigation to denture patients affected by BMS. The aim of the study is to estimate signs and symptoms of Craniomandibular Disorders (CMD) in patients with BMS and to investigate for the existence of a possible association between CMD and BMS in removable denture wearers.
Materials and Methods: From April 2010 to March 2012 we enrolled forty-eight patients affected by BMS, of which 24 wearing removable denture and 24 without denture, in accordance with the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A clinical-gnathological evaluation and a prosthodontic examination were performed and the results were compared.
Results and Discussion: Nineteen patients of the sample showed disorders classified as primary signs and symptoms of CMD on the basis of Research Diagnostic Criteria of Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TDM), compared with ten patients of the control group. Most common disorders were disc displacement and muscle pain. The chi-square test was statistically significant (p <.05) for 6 of the 10 relationships studied.
Conclusion: A higher number of CMD cases was observed in the original sample compared with the control group. In BMS patients therefore being a denture-wearer may contribute to the onset of CMD.