Analysis of factors influencing the long-term effect of treatment of TMJ-pain dysfunction.
A follow-up study on 154 females was performed approximately 7 years after the start of treatment for TMJ pain dysfunction. At the follow-up the function of the patients' masticatory system had on average greatly improved. The individual variation was great, however. In this paper the influence of such factors as diagnosis, age, general health, occlusal disharmonies, dentition and social environment on the long-term effect of treatment was analysed. Patients with TMJ osteoarthrosis had, on average, no more signs or symptoms of dysfunction at the follow-up than those judged to have had mainly neuromuscular problems. Poor general health was found to have a negative influence both on the immediate response to treatment of TMJ pain dysfunction and on the long-term prognosis. Few correlations were found between occlusal factors and dysfunction. Occlusal interferences showed no correlation to dysfunction at the first examination and at the follow-up were mainly correlated to some reported symptoms. Loss of molars and premolars was correlated to impaired TMJ-function. The patients with repeated periods of treatment (14%) did not differ from the rest with respect to signs and symptoms of dysfunction at the follow-up. In eight patients with extremely long periods of treatment general health problems and/or psychosocial factors were evident.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012931:Social Environment; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*