Giancarlo de la Torre Canales

The Egas Moniz Interdisciplinary Research Center (CiiEM) promotes innovative and transformative research that addresses global challenges and actively engages society through a One Health approach. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach - working at local, regional, national and global levels - to achieve optimal health outcomes, recognising the interconnectedness between people, animals, plants and their shared environment. Health research aims to improve and protect health and well-being by generating new knowledge and developing innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases. It also aims to develop new health technologies, mitigate health risks, protect populations and promote good health and well-being in general. However, the scientific advancement of health in an integrated manner often needs a common framework that effectively promotes knowledge and innovation. At the national level, CiiEM is a platform that combines and integrates research under the "One Health" principle. CiiEM thus contributes to the development, integration and qualification of the national research system, promoting the impact on society and the international relevance of Portuguese science. The research groups take on international leadership roles in various areas of knowledge, bringing together the critical mass needed to achieve highly detailed objectives and promoting the sharing of effective infrastructures and human resources. The research capacities established at CiiEM have ensured significant scientific advances at an international level, fostered creativity, attracted talent and developed scientific careers. Following a path of sustained growth, this new cycle entails an additional commitment to organising and defining ambitious objectives and research programs that can raise scientific impact at an international level. To optimise existing resources, the aim is to improve CiiEM's organisational base to achieve greater integration into a higher hierarchy of national and international networks of excellence. Thus, the strategic plan for 2025-2029 is an ambitious project to consolidate and expand CiiEM's network of national centers, promoting research in cutting-edge areas at an international level, postgraduate training and the protection and recognition of the knowledge generated at CiiEM. The success of the funding obtained through these activities will be essential to complement the funding obtained by CiiEM researchers in research projects, promoting CiiEM's ability to bring together researchers in projects of excellence. CiiEM is also requesting programmatic funding, which is crucial to fully implementing its strategic plan and will contribute to further support internal research grants system, hiring PhD researchers and laboratory technicians, and strengthening the internationalisation program.

This project aims to evaluate the effects of aesthetic and therapeutic applications of Botulinum Toxin type A in dentistry. To achieve this objective, the following variables will be evaluated: durability of botulinum toxin in aesthetic applications, efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin as a treatment for temporomandibular joint arthralgia and hypertrophy of the masseter muscle. Furthermore, this project will seek to validate the possible association between adverse effects caused by botulinum toxin type A and doses and number of applications necessary to develop them.

INTRODUCTION/CONTEXTUALIZATION The pain and functional limitation associated with oral impairment results in physical, psychological and social disability, which in turn leads to patient disability. Clinical studies demonstrate that there is an improvement in the quality of life in patients who received oral rehabilitation, especially in the elderly and edentulous. However, few studies significantly assess important comorbidities that may interfere with these results, such as awake bruxism, emotional aspects and signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. According to the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) is defined as a set of disorders involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles and associated structures. Signs and symptoms include pain in the muscles of mastication and TMJ, temporomandibular joint noises (clicking and crackling) and limitations in mandibular movement. Other symptoms reported by patients are otological manifestations such as tinnitus, ear fullness and vertigo. Many aspects of TMD etiology are unclear. In contrast to dental/occlusal causes, for which the supporting evidence is not definitive, there is definitive support for a biopsychosocial and multifactorial history, illustrating the complex interplay between biological (e.g., hormonal) mechanisms, psychological states and traits, conditions environmental and macro and microtrauma. Parafunctional habits such as sleep and wake bruxism are commonly observed during periods of anxiety or stress in humans. This stereotyped oral behavior can provide an outlet for emotional tension. It is possible to see the close relationship between TMD, bruxism, anxiety disorders and quality of life in patients with tooth loss, and how these factors influence each other. Systematic reviews on the subject have encouraged the development of studies with standardized protocols, which assess signs and symptoms and emotional characteristics over time, that is, through longitudinal studies in a specific population. GOALS Evaluate factors related to temporomandibular disorders, bruxism, anxiety and quality of life in patients undergoing oral rehabilitation. - Monitor and verify the behavior of TMD's and awake bruxism in periods of greater stress in patients with dental prostheses

- To verify the efficiency of an interocclusal device after oral rehabilitation in controlling waking bruxism

- To evaluate the signs and symptoms of TMD and the presence of awake bruxism in patients who received oral rehabilitation. - Evaluate the effect of rehabilitation treatment on the control of awake bruxism and quality of life. METHODOLOGY This project has the competence to develop prospective clinical studies which will be carried out in the premises of the Centro Universitário Ingá - UNINGÁ, including the Dentistry Clinic and the classrooms of Block H. The study population will be patients from integrated clinics I and IV, integral and night, treated with any type of dental prosthesis. Patients who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria, after signing an informed consent form to participate in this study, will be able to compose the sample. The participants will be submitted to different evaluations that include from clinical protocols and in the form of questionnaires, to quantitative functional evaluations. The evaluation tools used in this work will be: palpation of the muscles of mastication and TMJ, measurement of mandibular movements (DC/TMD), application of the ProDTMulti protocol to measure the severity of signs and symptoms of TMD, difficulty in chewing, application of the Beck Anxiety Inventory, application of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSC), use of the DTM Clinica application.

A comprehensive therapeutic approach in dentistry requires the integration of various basic sciences into clinical practice, ensuring effective and safe treatment for patients. The dentist must be able to accurately assess the individual needs of each patient, develop a personalized treatment plan, apply the most appropriate therapy based on scientific evidence, and continuously monitor the patient's progress, promoting the maintenance of long-term oral health. To this end, it is essential that the professional has in-depth knowledge of the principles of pharmacology and its various specialties, including clinical pharmacokinetics, which studies the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs

pharmacogenetics, which investigates how genetic variability influences the response to medications

phytotherapy, which analyzes the use of natural substances in dental treatment

and toxicology, which evaluates the adverse effects and safety of the substances used. Mastering these concepts allows the dentist to make more informed clinical decisions, ensuring the rational and safe use of medications, preventing unwanted drug interactions, and providing a more effective and personalized therapeutic experience for each patient. Therefore, constant scientific updating and in-depth study of these areas become indispensable for modern dental practice, ensuring more efficient treatments and a better quality of life for patients.