Correlation between skeletal Class II and temporomandibular joint disorders: a literature review.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate current knowledge about the relationship between Angle class II malocclusion (especially the second division) and temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD).

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A survey has been conducted through the electronic databases Medline, using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, the keywords "temporomandibular disorder AND class II malocclusion". Of the 290 articles resulting from research 23 have been selected that met all the inclusion criteria of this review.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The prospective, longitudinal and retrospective analyzed studies do not ultimately support a primary role of occlusion, especially class II malocclusion second division, in the development of joint problems and they also support the hypothesis of a multifactorial origin theory of joint problems.

CONCLUSIONS

It is therefore impossible to make any forecast of proper development of TMD on the basis of the presence or absence of a malocclusion although in some studies the class II malocclusion has been associated with a higher prevalence of muscle strains problems. So, while there is a clear lack of association with strictly joint issues (click, lock joint, dislocations) in the literature class II malocclusion can be related only to muscular problems.