title: Incidence of symptoms and signs of TMD following third molar surgery: a controlled, prospective study.
abstract: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate if third molar surgery is associated with the development of symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) during a 6-month post-operative observation period using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) instrument. Seventy-two subjects eligible for third molar surgery under local anaesthesia (patients) were included. Patients were examined according to the RDC/TMD instrument at baseline, 1 week, 1 and 6 months after surgery. Twenty-five age- and sex-matched healthy non-operative control subjects (controls) were included and examined at baseline and at 6 months. In the patient group, we found: (i) reduced range of maximum jaw opening at one week after surgery (P < 0.001), (ii) increased characteristic pain intensity 1 week after surgery (P < 0.05), (iii) increased disability up to 1 month after surgery (P < 0.05), (iv) increased incidence of muscle pain on palpation up to 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05), (v) increased incidence of pain on palpation of the temporomandibular joint up to 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05) and (vi) increased incidence of painful TMD 6 months after surgery. But, when compared with untreated controls, subjects undergoing third molar surgery have a statistically insignificant increased incidence of TMD 6 months post-operatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Danish Pain Research Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. gitjuh01@heh.regionh.dk
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Juhl
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Norholt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Svensson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D010173:Palpation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult