ÍNDICES DE HELKIMO E CRANIOMANDIBULAR PARA DIAGNÓSTICO DE DESORDENS TÊMPORO-MANDIBULARES - REVISÃO DA LITERATURA The Helkimo and Craniomandibular Indices for the Diagnosis of Temporomandibular Disorders: A Review of the Eview of the Literature

Temporomandibular disorders are defined as a group of medical and dental conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint and/or the muscles of mastication, as well as facial structures related to the maxillomandibular complex. They are estimated to occur in 50-60% of the population, being three times as common in females as they are in males, a difference that tends to diminish with increasing age. It is also found that the majority of individuals affected are between 35 and 50 years of age. Despite major advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of temporomandibular disorders, considerable controversy still exists with regard to the prevalence of each morbid condition and the most appropriate and effective treatment for each situation. The use of the Helkimo and Craniomandibular indices is necessary to enable the severity of the disorder to be categorized on an individual basis, to examine the incidence of the problem in a specific population,