title: Perception of the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder in females by using the ProTMDMulti protocol and the visual analog scale before and after acupuncture treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the perceptions of patients with TMD in relation to the signs and symptoms before and after acupuncture treatment, according to the ProTMDMulti and the VAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  68 patients were divided into groups: muscle TMD treated with acupuncture at local points (MUS-LP), muscle TMD with acupuncture at distant points (MUS-DP), joint and muscle treated with LP (JOI-LP) and joint and muscle treated with DP (JOI-DP). The evaluations were performed at four times: initial, control, final and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best results were seen in the JOI-LP and the MUS-DP groups, in which the perceptions of the signs and symptoms were statistically lower in the final assessment than in the initial (P<0.05). In all groups, the final and the follow-up evaluations were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For TMDs with joint components, the best acupuncture treatment involves local points and for the TMDs with muscle components, points at a distance.
authors: a Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) , Ribeirão Preto, SP , Brazil.
authors: Carolina Assaf
authors: CA
authors: Branco
authors: b Federal University of Goiás , Goiania , GO , Brazil.
authors: Rodrigo Borges
authors: RB
authors: Fonseca
authors: a Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) , Ribeirão Preto, SP , Brazil.
authors: Renata Filgueira
authors: RF
authors: Borges
authors: a Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) , Ribeirão Preto, SP , Brazil.
authors: Giovana Cherubini
authors: GC
authors: Venezian
authors: a Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) , Ribeirão Preto, SP , Brazil.
authors: Laís Valencise
authors: LV
authors: Magri
authors: a Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) , Ribeirão Preto, SP , Brazil.
authors: Marcelo Oliveira
authors: MO
authors: Mazzetto
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D010465:Perception; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Acupuncture; ProTMDMulti; Temporomandibular disorder; Visual analog scale