J Orofac Pain
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To outline the steps taken to conduct and to culturally adapt Dutch translations of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) history questionnaire, clinical examination form, and verbal instructions to the patients, and to assess the reliability of the clinical examination. ⋯ The mode described by the authors for preparing clinical sites for RDC/TMD-based research is a feasible one.
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To use the human blink reflex (BR) to explore possible neuropathic pain mechanisms in patients with atypical odontalgia (AO). ⋯ No major differences between the V nociceptive pathways on the right and left sides were found in a relatively small group of AO patients. Future studies that compare BRs in AO patients and healthy volunteers are needed to provide further knowledge on the pain mechanisms in AO.
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To examine whether catastrophizing is associated with clinical examination findings, pain-related activity interference, and health care use among patients with pain related to temporomandibular disorders (TMD). ⋯ TMD patients who catastrophize have higher scores on clinical examination measures reflecting more widely dispersed and severe pain upon palpation of TMD-related facial muscle and joint sites, as well as greater TMD-related activity interference and health care use. Clinicians should consider screening patients with moderate or greater TMD pain and activity interference for catastrophizing. Cognitive-behavioral interventions may help reduce pain, disability, and health care use of patients who catastrophize.
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To compare pressure pain threshold (PPT) values for masticatory muscles in patients with signs and symptoms of myofascial pain and in asymptomatic individuals. ⋯ The masseter and temporalis muscles require different pressures for distinguishing masticatory myofascial pain patients from asymptomatic individuals. Because the highest sensitivity (77%) and LR were found for the anterior temporalis, this muscle was considered to have the most suitable discriminative capacity.
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To determine whether there is a difference in terms of reliability between experienced examiners and inexperienced examiners in the measurement of signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). ⋯ Examiner calibration rather than professional experience seems to be the most important factor for reliable measurement of TMD symptoms.