title: Tooth contact in patients with temporomandibular disorders.
abstract: Both experimental and retrospective studies suggest a link between parafunctions and pain in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. To investigate the role of parafunctions in TMD, experience sampling methodology was used as a prospective test of the hypothesis that patients with TMD have higher levels of tooth contact and tension than non-TMD controls. Three groups of TMD patients and a group of normal controls carried pagers for one week, were contacted approximately every two hours by an automated calling system, and completed questionnaires assessing tooth contact, tension, and pain at each contact. Results showed that tooth contact was much more frequent among normal controls than is commonly presumed. Patients with myofascial pain with/without arthralgia reported more frequent contact, higher intensity contact, and more tension than patients with disk displacement or normal controls. Increased masticatory muscle activity responsible for tooth contact and tension may be an important mechanism in the etiology and maintenance of the myofascial pain and arthralgia of TMD.
authors.affiliation: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, 1750 Independence Ave., Kansas City, MO 64106, USA. Aglaros@kcumb.edu
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Glaros
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lausten
authors.forename: Lynn R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Friesen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002012:Bruxism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000473:pathology; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology