title: Pressure pain threshold and oral health-related quality of life implications of patients with alloplastic temporomandibular joint replacement--a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alloplastic total temporomandibular joint replacement (TJR) for end-stage disease, congenital disorders, and after ablative surgery has been shown improve function and to decrease pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pain pressure threshold (PPT) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients undergoing alloplastic TJR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects requiring TJR from May 2007 through February 2011 were enrolled in the study. The PPT and OHRQoL were measured preoperatively and 2, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The primary predictor variable was postoperative time (preoperatively and 2, 6, and 12 months postoperatively). The primary outcome variables were the PPT and OHRQoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen subjects requiring TJR were enrolled in and completed the required 12-month follow-up. There was no difference in the PPT at any time point. There was a significant improvement in the OHRQoL domain of psychological discomfort (P = .04) at 12 months. Facial pain intensity, temporomandibular joint pain, mandibular function, and diet were also significantly improved at 12 months (P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alloplastic TJR appears to decrease pain, improve function and diet, and decrease psychological discomfort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Preclinical Education, and Dental Materials Science, University Hospital Bonn, Germany. sabinelinsen@web.de
authors.forename: Sabine S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Linsen
authors.forename: Rudolf H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teschke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000523:psychology*; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009909:Oral Health; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception; D017288:Pain Threshold; D020959:Polyethylene; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium; D014800:Vitallium; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014800:Vitallium; D020959:Polyethylene; D014025:Titanium