The Effect of Relaxation Exercises for the Masticator Muscles on Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of relaxation exercises for the masticator muscles on the limited ROM and pain of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 10 men and 31 women in their 20s and 30s. They were randomly divided into no treatment, active exercises and relaxation exercise for the masticator muscle groups. The exercise groups performed exercises three times or more a day over a period of four weeks, performing exercise for 10 minutes each time. Before and after the four weeks, all the subjects were measured for ROM, deviation, occlusion, and pain in the temporomandibular joint. [Results] ROM, deviation and pain showed statistically significant in improvements after the intervention in the active exercise and relaxation exercise for the masticator muscle groups. Deviation also showed a statistically significant difference between the active exercise and relaxation exercise groups. [Conclusion] The results verify that as with active exercises, relaxation exercises for the masticatory muscles are an effective treatment for ROM and pain in TMD. Particularly, masticatory muscle relaxation exercises were found to be a treatment that is also effective for deviation.