A comparison of conservative and invasive dental approaches in the treatment of tension-type headache

• Autores: Markus Troeltzsch, Karl Messlinger, Brian Brodine, Volker Gassling, Matthias Troeltzsch
• Localización: Quintessence International, ISSN-e 0033-6572, Vol. 45, Nº. 9, 2014, págs. 795-802
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Objective: To investigate the efficacy of conservative dental treatment (occlusal splint and pharmacologic therapy) and invasive therapy (prosthetic restorations) in the treatment of tension-type headache (TTH).

    Method and Materials: The study sample was composed of 70 patients who presented with symptomatic TTH and were assigned to three treatment groups according to their treatment needs. Group A (30 patients): a conservative treatment protocol with a combination of an occlusal splint and analgesic and muscle relaxant medication. Group B (10 patients): invasive prosthodontic procedures. Group C (30 patients): patients who refused any type of treatment but consented to the study served as a control group. Pain quality was measured with the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6). The statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon rank test (P ? .05).

    Results: Conservative treatment with splints and analgesic medication and invasive treatment by prosthetic rehabilitation relieved the TTH symptoms. The patients who received treatment experienced a significant reduction in their discomfort after 6 months (P ? .01), whereas the patients who refused therapy remained, on average, at the same pain level (P ? .117). In group A, the HIT-6 score was reduced for 26 patients, and in group B for 8 patients. In group C a reduction of HIT-6 scores was observed in 10 patients.

    Conclusion: Conservative or invasive occlusal adjustments may serve as a useful tool in the treatment of TTH.