Managing the occlusion and the temporomandibular disorder in a stringed musical instrument player.
Dr. Spyridon Stefos
Private Practice, Ioannina, Greece
Introduction
Musicians, especially string instrumentalists, can experience occupational facial problems. The management those problems concerning the necessary prosthodontic treatment can be challenging for completing clinical stages successfully. This case report aims to describe the successful prosthodontic management of a 50-year-old menopausal professional violinist’s fatigue and pain of the jaw, as a result of playing her instrument, something not thoroughly investigated in current literature. We focused on successful clinical evaluation and management using a simple and proper prosthesis design.
Case Description
A professional violin musician, a 50-year-old menopausal woman, teacher and player for a national orchestra, was presented to our dental practice specialized in prosthodontics. The patient’s main presenting complaint was difficulty in playing the violin and pain on the left side of her face, limited mouth opening, and a history of clicking. The problem is predominately on the left side and has been present for five months. She feels the problems are exacerbated while playing. The clinical examination of the violinetist involved the evaluation of the mandibular cinematic movements. Upon examination the left masseter and lateral pterygoid were tender. The patient had a bilateral soft, consistent click upon opening. A left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement and associated muscular spasm were diagnosed. An anterior repositioning (ARPS) splint and a stabilization splint were indicated to help her with the pain, without disturbing the performance, the music quality, and her quality of life in general.
Discussion
Dental practitioners need to pay more attention to facial problems concerning musicians, as a consequence of their musical performance. The dental profession can be advanced and the dental patient’s experience can be enhanced when we adapt to the musicians’ needs and desires in order to improve their quality of life and perform adequately.