Self-reported oral parafunctions and pain intensity in temporomandibular disorder patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between different types of self-reported oral parafunctions and pain intensity in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).


METHODS
Two cohorts of TMD pain patients, 1 comprising 303 patients and the other comprising 226 patients, completed a 12-item oral parafunctions questionnaire as well as the Research Diagnostic Criteria Axis II questionnaire, which includes a characteristic pain intensity score (CPI). Relationships between oral parafunctions and CPI were examined; age and gender were controlled for. The effects of phrasing of the oral parafunction questions were also examined. For 1 cohort, the questions were directed at the mere occurrence of the parafunctions; in the other, the questions addressed the perceived stressfulness of parafunctional behavior to the jaw.


RESULTS
A principal component analysis of the responses to the questionnaires led to 3 factors (scales) in both cohorts: (1) a BRUX scale for bruxism activities; (2) a BITE scale for biting activities (eg, chewing gum, nails); and (3) a SOFT scale for soft tissue activities (eg, tongue, lips). Statistical significance was reached for 2 of the 6 relationships studied (P < .05), but with a very low explained variance (approximately 3.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
No clinically relevant relationships were found between different types of self-reported oral parafunctions and TMD pain complaints.
Department of Oral Function, Academic Centre for Dentistry, Amsterdam (ACTA), Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.vd.meulen@acta.nl
Marylee J
MJ
van der Meulen
Frank
F
Lobbezoo
Irene H A
IH
Aartman
Machiel
M
Naeije
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002012:Bruxism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009259:Nail Biting; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014061:Tongue Habits