Clinical evaluation of physical therapy in the management of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint.

This clinical cross-sectional study examines the favorable functional improvement in patients undergoing physical therapy for mild to moderate internal disc derangements of the temporomandibular joint. Sixty-eight patients with internal derangements were treated with physical therapeutic modalities as described by Rocabado. A success rate of 86% was achieved in patients with early- to mid-opening and late- to mid-closing clicks of the temporomandibular joint. Approximately one third of these patients required short-term occlusal bite appliances to assist in their management. A success rate of 7% was achieved in patients with late-opening and late-closing clicks. No patient with clicking on mediolateral movement was successfully managed with physical therapy. Likewise, patients with nonreducing anteriorly displaced discs of the temporomandibular joint did not respond well to physical therapy. Pain management was evaluated separately and showed subjective improvement in 82% of patients with mild to moderate disc dysfunction and pain. Only 29% of patients with late-opening clicking or locked joints experienced pain relief. When patients were classified according to occurrence of the clicking phenomenon, interesting trends relating to duration of symptoms were found. Twenty-two patients who did not respond favorably to physical therapy underwent surgical procedures. Findings in these patients offer suggestions about why nonsurgical therapy is not successful in certain cases.