J Orofac Pain
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To test the hypothesis that temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients have characteristic diurnal patterns of pain that are associated with diurnal or nocturnal parafunctions. ⋯ Strongly linear or curvilinear patterns of pain were not characteristic of this sample of subjects. More than half the subjects reported slightly increasing pain during the day, but the variability within groups was considerable. Increasing and decreasing patterns of pain were independent of self-reported daytime and nighttime clenching and grinding. Self-reported pain patterns may not be used to reliably infer the times when parafunctional activities occur. The presence of lower pain levels during the weekend probably reflects reduction in psychosocial stressors associated with the work week.
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To provide a snapshot of the scientific literature on orofacial pain. ⋯ This study complements subject reviews of orofacial pain research and provides a more complete picture of the research activity in this field.
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To identify associations between clinical symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders and radiographic findings. ⋯ Age, gender, and coarse crepitus, but no pain-related variables, were associated with increased risk of degenerative findings in TMJ tomograms. Maximal opening < 40 mm was associated with a posterior condyle-to-articular tubercle relation on opening.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Nerve growth factor-evoked masseter muscle sensitization and perturbation of jaw motor function in healthy women.
To replicate and extend previous findings of nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced mechanical sensitization in healthy young men to women and test for associations between mechanical sensitization and oral motor function. Combined these data would indicate if injection of NGF into the masseter muscle is a valid model of muscle pain related to temporomandibular disorders (TMD). ⋯ This study shows that injection of NGF into the masseter muscle of women causes local signs of mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia that persist for at least 7 days as well as pain during strenuous jaw movement. Taking the authors' previous results on NGF effects in men into consideration, these findings lend additional support to the suggestion that this model may serve as a proxy of some of the clinical features of TMD-related muscle pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Short-term effectiveness of a prefabricated occlusal appliance in patients with myofascial pain.
To compare the short-term effectiveness of a stabilization appliance with a prefabricated occlusal appliance in myofascial pain patients in a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ The effectiveness of the prefabricated occlusal appliance seemed to be the same as that of the stabilization appliance. The prefabricated appliance can therefore be recommended as a short-term therapy in adult patients with myofascial pain.