Can sonographic features be efficacy predictors of robotic massage treatment for masseter and temporal muscle in patients with temporomandibular disorder with myofascial pain?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to detect sonographic predictors for the efficacy of massage treatment of masseter and temporal muscle in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) patients with myofascial pain.


METHODS
Thirty-seven TMD patients with myofascial pain (6 men and 31 women, a median age of 45 years) were enrolled. An oral rehabilitation robot massaged the patient's masseter and temporal muscles with a standard massage pressure of 10 N for 16 min. The standard treatment protocol was set five sessions every 2 weeks. The median total duration of treatment was 9.5 weeks. Efficacy of treatment was evaluated based on maximum mouth opening and visual analog scale scores of muscle pain and daily life impediments. The intramuscular echogenic bands and elasticity index ratios of the masseter muscles were evaluated on sonographic or sonoelastographic images obtained before treatment and after the third and last treatment sessions.


RESULTS
The sonographic features detected different changes after the third treatment session between the therapy-effective and therapy-ineffective groups: in the therapy-effective group, the frequency of visibility of the distinct echogenic bands increased, and the elasticity index ratio decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonographic features after the third treatment session may be useful as predictors of therapeutic efficacy.
a Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Aichi-Gakuin University School of Dentistry , Nagoya, Japan.
Yoshiko
Y
Ariji
Miwa
M
Nakayama
Wataru
W
Nishiyama
Nobumi
N
Ogi
Shigemitsu
S
Sakuma
Akitoshi
A
Katsumata
Kenichi
K
Kurita
Eiichiro
E
Ariji
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004548:Elasticity; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011312:Pressure; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012399:Rotation; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
Massage; Masseter muscle; Myofascial pain; Sonographic elastography; Sonography; Temporomandibular disorder