Vivacqua Angelo, Fan Kathleen, Gürtler Alexander, Thieringer Florian M, Berg Britt-Isabelle
Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 9RS, UK.
J Clin Med. 2024 May 28;13(11):3167. doi: 10.3390/jcm13113167.
Temporomandibular disease (TMD) is commonly seen, and divers also experience pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or masticatory muscles. This article aims to provide a tool for diving physicians or medical professionals involved in diving medicine since jaw pain among divers is a pertinent subject and can be challenging to evaluate without some background in dentistry or maxillofacial surgery. A basic algorithm was developed to provide a tool to differentiate jaw pains experienced by divers. Three brief case studies were developed, and five diving physicians were tasked with diagnosing the cases using the algorithm. Additionally, simple exercises and massage techniques that can benefit patients with TMD, particularly immediately after diving, are outlined. All five diving physicians successfully diagnosed the cases using the algorithm. However, three of them were unable to diagnose the first case (disc luxation) without consulting the algorithm. Nevertheless, all physicians acknowledged the utility of the algorithm. Jaw pain in divers can stem from diverse causes, but effective treatment options exist. Our study findings provide valuable insights to assist diving physicians in making accurate diagnoses and guiding appropriate patient management, which may include referrals to specialists such as dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, or orthodontists.
颞下颌关节疾病（TMD）很常见，潜水员也会出现颞下颌关节（TMJ）或咀嚼肌疼痛。本文旨在为潜水医生或从事潜水医学的专业人员提供一种工具，因为潜水员的颌部疼痛是一个相关主题，并且如果没有牙科或颌面外科的一些背景知识，评估起来可能具有挑战性。开发了一种基本算法，以提供一种工具来区分潜水员所经历的颌部疼痛。编写了三个简短的病例研究，并让五名潜水医生使用该算法对病例进行诊断。此外，还概述了一些简单的锻炼和按摩技巧，这些技巧对颞下颌关节疾病患者有益，尤其是在潜水后立即使用。所有五名潜水医生都使用该算法成功诊断了病例。然而，其中三名医生在未参考该算法的情况下无法诊断出第一个病例（盘状脱位）。尽管如此，所有医生都认可该算法的实用性。潜水员的颌部疼痛可能由多种原因引起，但存在有效的治疗选择。我们的研究结果提供了宝贵的见解，以帮助潜水医生进行准确诊断并指导适当的患者管理，这可能包括转诊给牙医、颌面外科医生或正畸医生等专科医生。
