J Orofac Pain
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To analyze the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the depression, non-specific physical symptoms, and graded chronic pain scales comprising the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) Axis II. ⋯ The major RDC/TMD Axis II measures demonstrate psychometric properties suitable for comprehensive assessment and management of TMD patients.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of sleep quality and clinical and psychologic characteristics in patients with temporomandibular disorders.
To explore the relationships between sleep quality, perceived pain, and psychologic distress among patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). ⋯ This study supports the frequent comorbidity of reported sleep disturbance, perceived pain severity, and psychologic distress in patients with TMD.
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Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) primarily affects postmenopausal women and is often difficult to treat successfully. Treatment outcomes have been problematic because of failure to distinguish between patients with BMS and patients presenting with oral burning (OB) resulting from other clinical abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics that might uniquely identify BMS patients from patients with OB and to determine whether proper classification influences treatment outcome. ⋯ These data indicate that while BMS and OB groups may initially present with similar clinical and psychosocial features, they are distinguishable with careful diagnosis that often enables successful management of symptoms for each group.
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This paper outlines several aspects of the integration of basic sciences into the predoctoral dental curriculum. It addresses a number of the points or questions posed by the organizers of the Third Educational Conference to Develop the Curriculum in Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain. ⋯ The paper concludes by considering at what stage of the curriculum this material should be included, how the pertinent basics sciences should be taught, and under what circumstances. Under the term "basic sciences" are included not only relevant biomedical or biologic sciences such as physiology and anatomy, but also the behavioral sciences such as psychology and cognitive science.
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This paper addresses questions 2 to 6 posed in the charge to the conference to discuss the study of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain from the perspective of the predoctoral dental curriculum. This paper lends itself to an additional query: how much diagnostic and therapeutic skill relative to TMD and orofacial pain should a new graduate possess and demonstrate to be deemed competent in accordance with the definition of competence of the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation? Although much of the content of this and the accompanying articles from the conference pertain to the TMD and orofacial pain curricula of dental schools in North America, most of what is presented here is universal to the teaching of the subject matter; therefore, it could be applied to educational institutions in other parts of the world. Indeed, an international survey relative to the teaching of TMD and orofacial pain would be of interest and value to dental schools worldwide.