Functional condition of the temporomandibular joint in civil aviation pilots and flight attendants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Civil aviation pilots are under constant psychological stress, which is chronic stress. Chronic stress and overexertion are assumed to negatively affect the entire body in general and the maxillary system in particular, changing the morphofunctional condition of maxillofacial muscles and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). AIM: To conduct a comprehensive comparative study of the functional state of the dental system of civil aviation pilots and flight attendants, which includes a clinical examination using a simple Hamburg test and TMJ sound vibrography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 30 pilots and 30 flight attendants in the comparison group. The standard clinical examination was performed using the Hamburg test. Vibrographic examination of the TMJ using the BioJVA device from the BioPAK complex (BioResearch, USA) was also conducted. RESULTS: In the Hamburg test, joint clicks and traumatic eccentric occlusion were detected more often in pilots than in flight attendants. According to the results of vibrography, cases with an integral index of 80 PaHz were observed two times more often among pilots than among flight attendants. This indicates possible TMJ pathology. CONCLUSION: Clinical examination combined with the Hamburg test and vibrography revealed that symptoms of TMJ dysfunction occur much more often among civil aviation pilots than among flight attendants.