Effect of therapeutic jaw exercise on temporomandibular disorders in individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a specific therapeutic jaw exercise on the temporomandibular disorders of patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-four consecutive patients with whiplash-related conditions were referred to and accepted for a treatment period at a center for functional evaluation and rehabilitation during 2001-2002. The patients followed a program of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management. At the start of their stay, they were examined by a physician specialized in rehabilitation medicine and also by a dentist who performed a functional examination of the stomatognathic system. Of the 93 patients who accepted participation in the study, 55 were diagnosed with temporomandibular disorders and chronic whiplash-associated disorders in accordance with the inclusion criteria. They were randomized into a jaw exercise group (n = 25), who performed specific therapeutic jaw exercises, and a control group (n = 30). Both groups undertook the whiplash rehabilitation program at the center. RESULTS: There were no inter- or intra-group differences in symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders at baseline, nor at the 3-week and 6-month follow-ups, except for an increase of maximum active mouth-opening capacity in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the therapeutic jaw exercises, in addition to the regular whiplash rehabilitation program, did not reduce symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders.     

Correlation of somatization,depression, and chronic pain with clinical findings of the temporomandibular disorders in asymptomatic women

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of this study was to correlate degree of depression, somatization, and chronic pain in asymptomatic women with clinical findings, using Research Diagnostic Criteria/Temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD).

Methods: A total of 200 female participants, ages 18–65, filled out a standard RDC/TMD axis II form for the assessment of chronic pain, disability, depression, and non-specific physical symptoms and underwent clinical examination of the temporomandibular joint. Correlation of clinical findings (axis I) and axis II assessment was performed using Spearman’s correlation test, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: There was a significant correlation between depression scores (p < 0.04), chronic pain (p < 0.001), and non-specific physical symptoms without questions about pain (p = 0.008).

Discussion: The highest scores on the Graded Chronic Pain Scale were observed in patients with arthralgia, while patients with myofascial pain scored higher on depression and somatization tests.     

Bite force and temporomandibular disorder in juvenile chronic arthritis

summary The aim of this study was to investigate the functional condition of the stomatognathic system in children suffering from juvenile chronic arthritis, with respect to bite force and temporomandibular disorder in relation to radiographic abnormalities of the mandibular condyle, occlusal factors and systemic disease parameters. Thirty-five children with juvenile chronic arthritis were compared to 89 healthy children with an Angle Class I occlusion and 62 children with an Angle Class II malocclusion. Subjective symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disorder and radiographic mandibular condylar changes were more common in children with juvenile chronic arthritis than in the two comparison groups. Maximal molar and incisal bite forces and maximal molar bite force endurance times were also significantly reduced in children with juvenile chronic arthritis. It is concluded that the differences between the groups are caused mainly by the systemic inflammatory disease itself, but a functional influence of weakened masticatory muscles cannot be excluded.     

Amitriptyline treatment of chronic pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders

Randomized clinical trials of amitriptyline will require data from pilot studies to be used for sample size estimates, but such data are lacking. This study investigated the 6-week and 1-year effectiveness of low dose amitriptyline (10-30 mg) for the treatment of patients with chronic temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain. Based on clinical examination, patients were divided into two groups: myofascial and mixed (myofascial and temporomandibular joint disorders). Baseline pain was assessed by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity and by the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) short form. Patient assessment of global treatment effectiveness was obtained after 6 weeks and 1 year of treatment by using a five-point ordinal scale: (1) worse, (2) unchanged, (3) minimally improved, (4) moderately improved, (5) markedly improved. The results showed a significant reduction for all pain scores after 6 weeks and 1 year post-treatment. The depression scores changed in depressed but not in non-depressed patients. Global treatment effectiveness showed significant improvement 6 weeks and 1 year post-treatment. However, pain and global treatment effectiveness were less improved at 1 year than at 6 weeks.     

Orofacial pain and jaw muscle activity: a new model

Two major theories proposed to explain the effect of pain on muscle activity are the Vicious Cycle Theory and the Pain Adaptation Model. Comprehensive reviews demonstrate conflicting or limited evidence in support of a critical aspect of the Vicious Cycle Theory, namely that pain leads to increased muscle activity. The Pain Adaptation Model proposes that changes in muscle activity limit movement and thereby protect the sensorimotor system from further injury. This model is generally considered the most appropriate explanation of the effect of pain on muscle function. Although there is much literature consistent with the model, there are a number of lines of evidence that appear inconsistent with it. Possible reasons for the lack of consistency between studies include the functional complexity of the sensorimotor system (eg, the possibility of different pain effects at different sites within functionally heterogeneous muscles), and the multidimensional nature of pain. The latter consists of sensory-discriminative, cognitive-evaluative, and motivational-affective components, where factors such as pain location, intensity, and characteristics and other supraspinal/suprabulbar influences may modify the effects of pain on motor activity. The variety of changes in electromyographic (EMG) activity features during pain suggests that pain and motor function are not hardwired. The authors propose that the existing Pain Adaptation Model is a subset of a broader model that could be called the Integrated Pain Adaptation Model. Given the recent view of pain as a homeostatic emotion requiring a behavioral response, this new model states that pain results in a new, optimized recruitment strategy of motor units that represents the individual's integrated motor response to the sensory-discriminative, motivational-affective, and cognitive-evaluative components of pain. This recruitment strategy aims to minimize pain and maintain homeostasis.     

Cyclic effects on experimental pain response in women with temporomandibular disorders

AIMS: Since cyclic effects on experimental pain response in women with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have not been adequately studied, the aim of this study was to assess variations in experimental pain response at 4 phases of the menstrual cycle. METHODS: Eighteen normally cycling women with TMD, 25 women with TMD and taking oral contraceptives (OC), 25 normally cycling pain-free controls, and 26 pain-free controls taking OC underwent 3 experimental pain procedures at 4 phases during each of 3 menstrual cycles. These procedures included algometer palpations at fixed amounts of pressure and pressure pain thresholds at several body sites, and an ischemic arm pain task. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare cycle phase, TMD group, and OC status differences in experimental pain response. RESULTS: Significant phase-related differences were seen for palpation intensity measures (P values < .05). Normally cycling women with TMD showed higher palpation pain intensity at menses and midluteal phases, while women with TMD taking OC showed stable palpation pain intensity ratings at menses, ovulatory, and midluteal phases, with increased intensity at the late luteal phase. TMD subjects had greater palpation pain and ischemic pain intensity and lower pressure pain thresholds compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Phase-related differences in experimental pain response were not strong and were more often found for experimental stimuli with greater clinical relevance (ie, palpation pain) compared with an ischemic pain task.     

Common factors in the presentation and management of chronic temporomandibular disorders and chronic overlapping pain disorders

The International Association for the Study of Pain has released a new classification scheme for chronic pain. This classification scheme describes chronic pain as either a symptom of a disease (chronic secondary pain) or the disease itself (chronic primary pain). Chronic temporomandibular disorders have many similarities to other proposed chronic overlapping pain disorders, but are classified and managed by dental practitioners as a localized pain condition of the orofacial region. We review the literature to describe the similarities between chronic temporomandibular disorders and chronic overlapping pain disorders, and discuss how this evolving concept may affect the way that dentists approach the diagnosis and management of chronic temporomandibular disorders.     

Temporal summation of pain characterizes women but not men with temporomandibular disorders

AIMS: To examine differences in temporal summation of mechanically evoked pain between women and men suffering from chronic pain associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), as well as between male TMD patients and healthy controls. METHODS: Series of 10 repetitive, mildly noxious mechanical stimuli were applied to the fingers of 27 female TMD patients, 16 male TMD patients, and 20 healthy men. The subjects rated the pain intensity caused by the 1st, 5th, and 10th stimulus in the series. Pain ratings were analyzed by 3-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Pain ratings increased significantly with stimulus repetition for the female TMD patients (P < .001). Women with TMD exhibited significantly greater temporal summation of pain than TMD men (P < .001). Neither the healthy men nor the male TMD patients exhibited significant increases in pain perception with repetitive stimulation. In the female TMD patient group, perceptual pain magnitudes were higher with an interstimulus interval of 2 seconds rather than 10 seconds (P < .005). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that central nociceptive processing upregulation is likely to contribute to TMD pain for women but is not a factor for     

Classification of temporomandibular joint erosion,arthritis, and inflammation in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Introduction

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common disease in pediatric rheumatology. It is characterized by chronically progressive joint destruction. The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are involved in up to 87% of patients and may take an asymptomatic course in 69% of cases. Other than contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there are no reliable screening symptoms or non-invasive procedures available to diagnose the inflammation in its acute form. The goal of this study was to establish an imaging-based classification system for TMJ erosion via MRI and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in an effort to improve indication-specific treatment approaches and to facilitate the comparison of findings.

Materials and methods

A total of 46 patients were included. Contrast-enhanced MRI and CBCT images obtained during treatment by pediatric rheumatologists and orthodontists were available from 23 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. We devised a classification system combining the findings of both imaging techniques based on this patient sample in comparison with CBCT findings from an age- and gender-matched group of 23 non-arthritis patients, taking into consideration the available literature and administration of contrast medium.

Results

Our cohort of 46 patients comprised 60% female and 40% male patients with a mean age of 14 years, providing a total of 92 TMJs for evaluation. We were able to apply the findings efficiently and conveniently to this classification system with no relevant interobserver differences. Mild structural abnormalities were noted in 21% of TMJs in the control group, whereas 83% of TMJs in the arthritis group exhibited severe anomalies, including cases of extreme destruction. Age and gender did not affect the degree of destruction significantly.

Conclusion

This is the first classification system to link CBCT and MRI with the use of contrast medium. Contrast-enhanced MRI is an internationally recognized technique that permits acute inflammation to be unequivocally diagnosed. Although structural erosion of the TMJs in our arthritis group was generally severe and significant, we were surprised to observe some cases that were clinically asymptomatic.     

Orofacial pain and sensory disorders in the elderly

Many orofacial pain conditions occur in the elderly. Specifically,this article reviews the prevalence of general and orofacial-related pain in the elderly. The authors also describe and discuss the likely disorders and diseases that produce facial pain and burning pain in the mouth. They do not cover jaw joint pain, oral sores, or ulceration-induced pain, as these conditions are better discussed in the context of arthritis and oral pathologies of the mouth. The authors discuss oral motor disorders, myogenous pain, vascular pain, headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic dis-ease, postherpetic neuralgia, burning mouth syndrome, and occlusal dysesthesia.     

The prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in patients with psoriasis with or without psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis is a chronic, genetic, non-contagious skin disorder that appears in many different forms and can affect any part of the body, including the nails and scalp. It may affect the quality of life by causing psychosocial stress. Psoriatic arthritis (PA) is considered to be a spondyloarthropathy, and has spinal and peripheral joint involvement associated with psoriasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients with psoriasis without PA and in patients with PA and compare with a healthy group. Signs and symptoms of TMD were evaluated by means of Helkimo's Anamnestic (Ai) and Dysfunction indices (Di). In the present study, patients with psoriasis without arthritis did not report TMD signs and symptoms significantly more often than healthy subjects. A statistically significant increase was found in patients with PA when compared with psoriasis patients without arthritis and healthy patients in Di. In patients with PA, muscle tenderness on palpation, temporomandibular joint sounds and stiffness/tiredness in jaws in the morning were the most frequent findings. It is concluded that the signs and symptoms of TMD in PA is caused mainly by related joint involvement that directly affects the masticatory system.     

Teeth contacting habit as a contributing factor to chronic pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders

Many different factors are known to cause and perpetuate the symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, the roles of parafunctional factors have not been clearly elucidated. We found one of these habits in the clinical setting. This parafunctional habit involves daily light touching of the upper and lower teeth, when the mouth is closed. We named this habit Teeth Contacting Habit (TCH). [OBJECTIVES] To investigate the following hypotheses: 1) TCH is associated with perpetuation of chronic pain of TMD patients; 2) TCH is associated with other behavioral factors. [METHODS] Two hundred and twenty-nine TMD outpatients with chronic pain were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression models. [RESULTS] TCH was found in 52.4% of patients. Patients with TCH and pain lasting for more than four months were less likely to experience improvements in pain at the first visit (OR = 1.944, p = 0.043). Other factors associated with TCH were as follows: unilateral chewing (OR = 2.802) and involvement in a precision job (OR = 2.195). [CONCLUSION] TCH can prolong TMD pain and is associated with other behavioral factors.     

Characteristics of a jaw reflex in humans with temporomandibular disorders: a preliminary report

Electromyography was used to compare characteristics of an inhibitory jaw reflex in 10 temporomandibular disorder patients and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The methodology was novel in that the reflex was that evoked in the active masseter muscle, by electrical stimulation of perioral skin. This response has advantages over those previously studied as it avoids problems associated with stimulating in the moist intra-oral environment and it is monophasic, thus permitting easy quantification. The results have shown that (i) with the stimulation parameters employed, the reflex was present in all 10 control subjects, but in only eight of 10 temporomandibular disorder patients. (ii) When stimulation intensities were expressed as multiples of sensory threshold, there was no significant difference in the minimum level of stimulation required to evoke the reflex between the groups, although there was a trend for the patients with temporomandibular disorders to require higher intensities. (iii) Comparison of data from subjects giving responses at the same stimulus intensity (6 x sensory threshold: seven temporomandibular disorder patients, eight controls), showed no significant differences in the latencies or magnitudes of the reflex between the groups. However, the overall duration of the reflex was significantly shorter for the patients with temporomandibular disorders, with the reflex finishing significantly earlier. Thus even within the limitations of this study, it appears that an inhibitory jaw reflex evoked from stimulation around the mouth, may be weaker in temporomandibular disorder patients. This conclusion is consistent with previous studies on more complex jaw reflexes evoked by intra-oral stimuli.     

Dentists' ability to detect psychological problems in patients with temporomandibular disorders and chronic pain

Do patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have significant psychosocial problems? Research efforts have sought to determine if these problems exist, and if so, how they influence treatment outcome. Even when psychosocial factors do influence treatment outcome, identifying them by formal psychological tests can be time consuming and costly. Dentists' impressions of the psychological status of these patients were tested to determine if they are an effective method for screening psychological factors thought to influence treatment outcome. The results suggested that a screening procedure based on dentists' impressions from an initial examination do not adequately identify psychological problems in patients with TMD.     

Associations among temporomandibular disorders,chronic neck pain and neck pain disability in computer office workers: a pilot study

Neck pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint among computer office workers. There are several reports about the coexistence of neck pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, there are no studies investigating this association in the context of work involving computers. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between TMD and neck pain in computer office workers. Fifty‐two female computer workers who were divided into two groups: (i) those with self‐reported chronic neck pain and disability (WNP) (n = 26) and (ii) those without self‐reported neck pain (WONP) (n = 26), and a control group (CG) consisting of 26 women who did not work with computers participated in this study. Clinical assessments were performed to establish a diagnosis of TMD, and craniocervical mechanical pain was assessed using manual palpation and pressure pain threshold (PPT). The results of this study showed that the WNP group had a higher percentage of participants with TMD than the WONP group (42·30% vs. 23·07%, χ² = 5·70, P = 0·02). PPTs in all cervical sites were significantly lower in the groups WNP and WONP compared to the CG. Regression analysis revealed TMD, neck pain and work‐related factors to be good predictors of disability (R² = 0·93, P < 0·001). These results highlighted the importance of considering the work conditions of patients with TMD, as neck disability in computer workers is explained by the association among neck pain, TMD and unfavourable workplace conditions. Consequently, this study attempted to emphasise the importance of considering work activity for minimising neck pain‐related disability.     

Increased risk of temporomandibular joint disorders and craniofacial deformities in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a population-based cohort study

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disease that has been proposed to involve the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The aim of this study was to identify the relationships between JIA, TMJ disorders, and craniofacial deformities. This cohort study included patients diagnosed with clinically active JIA between 1999 and 2013 through a nationwide longitudinal health registry. The primary outcome was the presence of a TMJ disorder. The secondary outcome was the presence of a JIA-associated craniofacial deformity. A total of 2791 patients with JIA were included in the case group; 11,164 propensity score-matched individuals without JIA were selected from the same database as controls. TMJ disorders were present in 142 individuals: 48 (1.72%) in the case group and 94 (0.84%) in the control group (relative risk 2.047, 95% confidence interval 1.446–2.898). Craniofacial deformities were present in 374 individuals: 112 (4.01%) in the case group and 262 (2.35%) in the control group (relative risk 1.722, 95% confidence interval 1.380–2.148). Patients with JIA showed a significantly greater likelihood of developing TMJ disorders and craniofacial deformities compared to matched controls.     

Factors associated with temporomandibular disorders pain in adolescents

To gain a better understanding of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) pain in adolescents, it is important to study the factors associated with its presence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate potential predictors for TMD pain in adolescents, thereby including a diversity of factors from the biopsychosocial model to determine the strongest predictors. The sample of this cross‐sectional study consisted of 1094 adolescents. The presence of TMD pain was assessed using the RDC/TMD, Axis I. Apart from demographical characteristics, the roles of parafunctional habits, psychosocial aspects, menarche and other bodily pain complaints were evaluated. Single and multiple logistic regression models were used to identify associations between the predictor variables and TMD pain. Painful TMD had a prevalence of 25·5%. Logistic regression analyses showed that TMD pain was associated with sleep bruxism (OR = 1·8 95% CI = 1·34–2·34), awake bruxism (OR = 2·1 95% CI = 1·56–2·83), other parafunctional habits (OR = 2·2 95% CI = 1·17–4·08) and bodily pain complaints (OR = 5·0 95% CI = 3·48–7·28). Parafunctional habits and other bodily pain complaints may play an important role in the presence of TMD pain in adolescents. Of course, it remains unclear whether the observed associations between the investigated factors and the adolescent's TMD pain have a true causal linkage.     

Orofacial pain and neurosensory disorders and dysfunction in cancer patients

Orofacial pain and altered nerve sensation may be the initial sign of oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal cancer. This article focuses on the most common orofacial pain conditions and neurosensory alterations that affect cancer patients, such as neuropathic pain, muscle spasm or contractures, mucositis, and increased or decreased sensory discrimination in the affected area. The various pharmacotherapeutic modalities for cancer pain management ranging from non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for mild pain to opioids for severe pain are discussed in detail.