BACKGROUND: Patients often seek consultation with dentists for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The objectives of this article were to describe the methods of a large prospective cohort study of painful TMD management, practitioners' and patients' characteristics, and practitioners' initial treatment recommendations conducted by The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (the "network"). METHODS: Participating dentists recruited into this study treated patients seeking treatment for painful TMDs. The authors developed self-report instruments based on well-accepted instruments. The authors collected demographics, biopsychosocial characteristics, TMD symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, treatment adherence, and painful TMDs and jaw function outcomes through 6 months. RESULTS: Participating dentists were predominately White (76.8%) and male (62.2%), had a mean age of 52 years, and were general practitioners (73.5%) with 23.8% having completed an orofacial pain residency. Of the 1,901 patients with painful TMDs recruited, the predominant demographics were White (84.3%) and female (83.3%). Patients' mean age was 44 years, 88.8% self-reported good to excellent health, and 85.9% had education beyond high school. Eighty-two percent had pain or stiffness of the jaw on awakening, and 40.3% had low-intensity pain. The most frequent diagnoses were myalgia (72.4%) and headache attributed to TMDs (51.0%). Self-care instruction (89.4%), intraoral appliances (75.4%), and medications (57.6%) were recommended frequently. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of this TMD cohort include those typical of US patients with painful TMDs. Network practitioners typically managed TMDs using conservative treatments. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study provides credible data regarding painful TMDs and TMD management provided by network practitioners across the United States. Knowledge acquired of treatment recommendations and patient reports may support future research and improve dental school curricula.
BACKGROUND: Patients often seek consultation with dentists for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The objectives of this article were to describe the methods of a large prospective cohort study of painful TMD management, practitioners' and patients' characteristics, and practitioners' initial treatment recommendations conducted by The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (the "network"). METHODS: Participating dentists recruited into this study treated patients seeking treatment for painful TMDs. The authors developed self-report instruments based on well-accepted instruments. The authors collected demographics, biopsychosocial characteristics, TMD symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, treatment adherence, and painful TMDs and jaw function outcomes through 6 months. RESULTS: Participating dentists were predominately White (76.8%) and male (62.2%), had a mean age of 52 years, and were general practitioners (73.5%) with 23.8% having completed an orofacial pain residency. Of the 1,901 patients with painful TMDs recruited, the predominant demographics were White (84.3%) and female (83.3%). Patients' mean age was 44 years, 88.8% self-reported good to excellent health, and 85.9% had education beyond high school. Eighty-two percent had pain or stiffness of the jaw on awakening, and 40.3% had low-intensity pain. The most frequent diagnoses were myalgia (72.4%) and headache attributed to TMDs (51.0%). Self-care instruction (89.4%), intraoral appliances (75.4%), and medications (57.6%) were recommended frequently. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of this TMD cohort include those typical of US patients with painful TMDs. Network practitioners typically managed TMDs using conservative treatments. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study provides credible data regarding painful TMDs and TMD management provided by network practitioners across the United States. Knowledge acquired of treatment recommendations and patient reports may support future research and improve dental school curricula.
Authors: Gary D Slade; Eric Bair; Kunthel By; Flora Mulkey; Cristina Baraian; Rebecca Rothwell; Maria Reynolds; Vanessa Miller; Yoly Gonzalez; Sharon Gordon; Margarete Ribeiro-Dasilva; Pei Feng Lim; Joel D Greenspan; Ron Dubner; Roger B Fillingim; Luda Diatchenko; William Maixner; Dawn Dampier; Charles Knott; Richard Ohrbach Journal: J Pain Date: 2011-11 Impact factor: 5.820
Authors: Eric Schiffman; Richard Ohrbach; Edmond Truelove; John Look; Gary Anderson; Jean-Paul Goulet; Thomas List; Peter Svensson; Yoly Gonzalez; Frank Lobbezoo; Ambra Michelotti; Sharon L Brooks; Werner Ceusters; Mark Drangsholt; Dominik Ettlin; Charly Gaul; Louis J Goldberg; Jennifer A Haythornthwaite; Lars Hollender; Rigmor Jensen; Mike T John; Antoon De Laat; Reny de Leeuw; William Maixner; Marylee van der Meulen; Greg M Murray; Donald R Nixdorf; Sandro Palla; Arne Petersson; Paul Pionchon; Barry Smith; Corine M Visscher; Joanna Zakrzewska; Samuel F Dworkin Journal: J Oral Facial Pain Headache Date: 2014
Authors: Ellen Funkhouser; Bonita S Agee; Valeria V Gordan; D Brad Rindal; Jeffrey L Fellows; Vibeke Qvist; Jocelyn McClelland; Gregg H Gilbert Journal: J Public Health Dent Date: 2012-09-21 Impact factor: 1.821
Authors: Yoly M Gonzalez; Eric Schiffman; Sharon M Gordon; Bradley Seago; Edmond L Truelove; Gary Slade; Richard Ohrbach Journal: J Am Dent Assoc Date: 2011-10 Impact factor: 3.634