Long-term evaluation of treatment for myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome: a comparative analysis.

This paper reports the short-term and long-term results of conservative reversible treatment used in 175 patients with MPD syndrome. These results are compared with those from ten published papers in which investigators used either irreversible treatment methods, reversible methods, or a combination of both approaches. The treatment outcome results in this study were similar to those in all of the previously reported studies. These findings suggest that conservative reversible therapies are both sufficient and appropriate for management of MPD syndrome in most patients. Major alterations of mandibular position or dentoalveolar relationships do not appear to be necessary for obtaining either short-term or long-term success, and therefore they can be generally regarded as inappropriate treatment for this disorder.