Association between signs of hyperalgesia and reported frequent pain in jaw-face and head

Objective: To analyze the relationship between different sites of elicited pain to muscle palpation (PtP), and reported frequent pain in jaw-face and head. Materials and methods: The analysis was based on an epidemiological sample of 1200 randomly selected individuals, of which 779 (65%) both completed a questionnaire and participated in a clinical examination. The questionnaire addressed the presence of pain in the jaw-face region and headache, respectively. Part of the clinical examination entailed palpation of the jaw, neck, shoulder, arm, thumb and calf muscles. Logistic regression was applied with pain and headache as dependent variables. A p-value < .05 determined statistical significance. Results: Five percent of participants reported frequent pain in jaw-face, and 17% reported frequent headaches. In the regression analysis, frequent headaches were significantly associated with jaw muscle PtP (OR 2.1, CI 1.4–3.4), regional PtP (OR 4.5, CI 2.6–7.6), and generalized PtP (OR 6.1, CI 2.2–17.0). Jaw-face pain was significantly associated with regional PtP (OR 5.3, CI 2.2–13.0) and generalized PtP (OR 30.1, CI 9.3–97.0). The relationship between pain prevalence and PtP showed a dose-response pattern. Conclusions: The study indicates that frequent jaw-face pain and headache are primarily associated with signs of regional and widespread hyperalgesia, which may be linked to the central sensitization mechanism. Signs of widespread hyperalgesia should be accounted for in the diagnostic algorithms when examining patients with pain in the jaw, face, and head regions

Treatments related to temporomandibular disorders among patients with prevalent types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in Sweden

The aim of this study was to assess the received TMD treatment modalities and the perceived outcome among the frequent types of EDS. A digital questionnaire was sent to the member of the National Swedish EDS Association during January-March 2022. The subsamples of hypermobile and classical EDS were constructed. Almost 90% reported TMD symptoms. Bite splint therapy, counselling, jaw training and occlusal adjustment were reported as the most common treatments with no statistically significant difference in terms of good effect between the two subsamples. Hypermobile and classical EDS might consider as an entity with regards to TMD

Hirayama's disease associated with cervical deformity and spinal cord compression : a case report from Sweden

BACKGROUND: Hirayama's disease (HD) is most common in young males, and previous studies are predominantly from Asian countries. The cause of HD is unknown but the most common theory about the pathology speculates on forward bending that causes a compression of the dura mater and the anterior horn of the spinal cord against the vertebra during an overstretch flexion that may result in myelopathy. Both anterior and posterior cervical surgical approaches have been shown to be effective in stopping the disease and improving function; however, HD is also reported to be a self-limited disease, and treatment with a cervical collar may be an alternative for these patients. CASE REPORT: We report HD in a 17-year-old male from Sweden who underwent surgical treatment with a 2 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) due to neurological progression from HD after conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: HD is rare and is easily overlooked. Surgical intervention shows promising results for neurological progression, but HD is also reported to be a self-limited disease

Treatment outcome in patients with myofascial orofacial pain : a randomized clinical trial

Background: Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) pain attributed to myalgia is a common condition and patients should get advice on the best treatment option.  Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the effect of two different exercise programs, or bite splint therapy, respectively, in patients with chronic frequent primary myofascial orofacial pain.  Methods: The study was a randomized clinical trial including patients fulϐilling criteria of chronic frequent primary myofascial orofacial pain with a reported pain intensity of ≥ 4 on a numerical rating scale (0-10). Ninety subjects were randomized to either bite splint, home exercises, or a supervised exercise program. Two examiners blinded to the treatment modality examined the same subject at baseline and a 3-month follow-up. Non-parametric statistical methods were applied for the outcome of treatment in intended-to-treat analyses. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically signiϐicant.  Results: The pain severity index was signiϐicantly reduced (p < 0.001) in all treatment groups. Jaw opening capacity improved signiϐicantly (p < 0.05) for those randomized to bite splint and for those in the home exercise program. About 70% of the participants reported improvement in their TMD pain severity with no signiϐicant difference between treatments. Both exercise groups improved in jaw function at the 3-month follow-up compared to baseline. Those who had a bite splint reported significantly more improvement in their headaches compared to those in the exercise programs. Conclusion: Jaw exercise programs and bite splint treatments had similar positive effects on TMD pain severity attributed to myalgia after 3 months

Risk factors associated with incidence and persistence of frequent headaches

OBJECTIVE: Headaches represent a significant public health problem, but the knowledge of factors specifically related to incidence and persistence of headaches is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether gender, self-reported bruxism and variations in the dental occlusion contribute to onset and persistence of frequent headaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 280 dental students, examined annually in a 2-year prospective study with a questionnaire and a clinical examination of the jaw function. In the analysis subjects were dichotomized into cases with frequent (once a week or more) or without frequent headaches (controls). The 2-year cumulative incidence was based on subjects without frequent headaches at baseline. Cases with 2-year persistent headaches reported such symptoms at all three examinations. Self-reported bruxism and factors in the dental occlusion at baseline were used as independent variables in logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The 2-year cumulative incidence of frequent headaches was 21%. Female gender (OR = 2.6; CI = 1.3-5.4), self-reported bruxism (OR = 2.3; CI = 1.2-4.4) and mandibular instability in intercuspal position (OR = 3.2; CI = 1.4-7.5) were associated with incidence of frequent headaches. Persistent headaches during the observation period were present in 12 individuals (4%) and significantly related to mandibular instability in intercuspal position (OR = 6.1; CI = 1.6-22.6). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that female gender, self-reported bruxism and mandibular instability in intercuspal position are of importance in the development of frequent headaches. In management of these patients a multidisciplinary approach including dentists may be important and, thus, advocated

Does a dose-response relation exist between spinal pain and temporomandibular disorders?

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to test whether a reciprocal dose-response relation exists between frequency/severity of spinal pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods A total of 616 subjects with varying severity of spinal pain or no spinal pain completed a questionnaire focusing on symptoms in the jaw, head and spinal region. A subset of the population (n = 266) were sampled regardless of presence or absence of spinal pain. We used two different designs, one with frequency/severity of spinal pain, and the other, with frequency/severity of TMD symptoms as independent variable. All 616 participants were allocated to four groups, one control group without spinal pain and three spinal pain groups. The subjects in the subset were allocated to one control group without TMD symptoms and three TMD groups. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for presence of frequent TMD symptoms in the separate spinal pain groups as well as for frequent spinal pain in the separate TMD groups. Results The analysis showed increasing ORs for TMD with increasing frequency/severity of spinal pain. We also found increasing ORs for spinal pain with increasing frequency/severity of TMD symptoms. Conclusion This study shows a reciprocal dose-response-like relationship between spinal pain and TMD. The results indicate that these two conditions may share common risk factors or that they may influence each other. Studies on the temporal sequence between spinal pain and TMD are warranted.</p

The implementation of a decision-tree did not increase decision-making in patients with temporomandibular disorders in the public dental health service

Objective: Many patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) seem to go undetected within primary dental health care. Primarily we evaluated if the implemented intervention increased the clinical decision-making for TMD patients; secondarily we evaluated if other factors could be identified that predicted performed or recommended TMD treatment. Material and Methods: This case–control study was carried out within the Public Dental Health service in Västerbotten County, Sweden. An intervention based on a decision-tree with three screening questions for TMD (3Q/TMD) was implemented during 2015 in four clinics and compared with the remaining county. A total of 400 individuals were selected—200 3Q-positives and 200 3Q-negatives. The 3Q/TMD consists of Q1—frequent jaw pain, Q2—frequent pain on function, and Q3—frequent catching and/or locking of jaw. The 3Q/TMD answers were analyzed in relation to TMD treatment and any TMD related decision that was collected from the digital dental records. Results: The intervention did not increase the frequencies of traceable clinical decisions among patients with TMD. Conclusions: Despite the implemented intervention aimed, the indicated undertreatment of patients with TMD remains. Future studies are still needed to gain a deeper understanding of the clinical decision-making process for TMD patients in general practice dentistry

Effects on jaw function shortly after whiplash trauma

Normal jaw function involves muscles and joints of both jaw and neck. A whiplash trauma may disturb the integrated jaw-neck sensory-motor function and thereby impair chewing ability; however, it is not known if such impairment is present shortly after a neck trauma or develops over time. The aim was to evaluate jaw function after a recent whiplash trauma. Eighty cases (47 women) were examined within 1 month after a whiplash trauma and compared to 80 controls (47 women) without neck trauma. Participants completed the Jaw disability checklist (JDC) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaires and performed a 5-minute chewing test. Elicited fatigue and pain during chewing were noted, and group differences were evaluated with Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Compared to controls, cases had higher JDC (P < .0001) and NDI scores (15% vs 2%, P < .0001), and reported more fatigue (53% vs 31%, P = .006) and pain (30% vs 10%, P = .003) during the chewing test. Cases also had a shorter onset time for fatigue and pain (both P = .001) Furthermore, cases reporting symptoms during chewing had higher JDC and NDI scores compared to cases not reporting symptoms (both P = .01). Symptoms mainly occurred in the trigeminal area for both groups, but also in spinal areas more often for cases than for controls. Taken together, the results indicate that jaw-neck sensory-motor function is impaired already within 1 month after a whiplash trauma. The association between neck disability and jaw impairment underlines the close functional relationship between the regions, and stresses the importance of multidisciplinary assessment

Can temporomandibular disorder symptoms and headaches be prevented in 13- to 15-year-old girls by information provided in a school setting?

Objective: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) may develop, especially among girls, during the adolescence period. The aim of this study was to study if information and advice in a school setting could prevent development of TMD symptoms and headaches during the early teenage period. Methods: Thirteen-year-old girls, at 19 upper elementary schools were invited to participate in a study with structured information about the jaw system, TMD symptoms and risk factors, as well as advice how to manage risk factor and TMD. Six hundred and fifty-one girls enrolled, of which 507 girls were followed for 2–2.5 years. Half received information on three occasions (cases), and the other half served as controls. Included in the analysis of incidence of TMD symptoms were those without frequently occurring TMD symptoms (not including headaches) at baseline (n = 396) and included in the analysis of incidence of headaches were those without frequent headaches at baseline (n = 297). Result: The 2-year incidence of TMD symptoms was significantly lower in the information cohort (19%) compared to the controls (28%) (p =.03). The 2-year incidence of headaches was lower among those who were allocated to information (30%) compared to controls (40%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p =.099). Cases who had headaches at baseline reported a significantly lower prevalence at follow-up compared to controls (p =.03). Conclusion: Standardized information in school settings can prevent development of TMD symptoms and headaches among young girls

Decision-making in dentistry related to temporomandibular disorders : a 5-yr follow-up study.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common, but many patients with such disorders go undetected and under-treated. Our aim was to evaluate the outcome of using a screening tool (5 yr after it was first implemented), on the clinical decision-making for patients with TMDs. Adults who attended for a dental check-up at the Public Dental Health Services in Vasterbotten, Sweden, answered three screening questions (3Q/TMD) on frequent jaw pain, pain on jaw function, and catching/locking of the jaw. The dental records of a random sample of 200 individuals with at least one positive response to 3Q/TMD (3Q screen-positive patients) and 200 individuals with all negative responses (3Q screen-negative patients) were reviewed for TMD-related treatment decisions. A clinical decision related to TMD was absent in 45.5% of 3Q screen-positive patients. Treatment of TMDs was associated with a positive response to the screening question on jaw pain (OR = 6.7, 95% CI: 3.2-14.0) and was more frequent among 3Q screen-positive patients (24%) than among 3Q screen-negative patients (2%; OR = 15.5, 95% CI: 5.5-43.9), just as a female examiner was associated with more frequent treatment of TMDs (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.2-8.4). The results indicate under-treatment of TMD within general dental practice and that male clinicians are less likely to initiate TMD treatment