Natural course of disc displacement with reduction of the temporomandibular joint: changes in clinical signs and symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to examine the natural course of disc displacement with reduction in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).


METHODS
This retrospective study involved 24 patients who had been diagnosed with disc displacement with reduction of the TMJ, but who had not undergone any treatment. The extent of maximal mouth opening, protrusion, lateral excursions, noise of the TMJ, pain of the TMJ, and tenderness of masticatory muscles were recorded monthly for a mean of 25.8 months.


RESULTS
Maximal mouth opening, protrusion, and lateral excursions remained unchanged during follow-up. TMJ pain decreased by 15.7% (P >.05). Clicking decreased by 20.8% (P <.05), and tenderness of masticatory muscles decreased by 33.3% (P <.05). Reciprocal clicking remained unchanged in 19 patients (79.2%) and disappeared in 5 patients (23.8%). Four patients (16.7%) in whom clicking disappeared had a normal mouth opening, but locking developed in 1 patient (4.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with disc displacement with reduction who do not undergo treatment, range of movement remains unchanged over time. Tenderness of masticatory muscles tended lessen, but reciprocal clicking and TMJ pain tended to remain. Clicking did not progress to locking in most patients.
Sato
Shuichi
S
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery I, Tohoku University School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan. suichi@mail.cc.tohoku.ac.jp
Goto
Satoshi
S
Nasu
Fumiko
F
Motegi
Katsutoshi
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000503:physiopathology; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013016:Sound; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000503:physiopathology*