J Orofac Pain
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Development of a quality-assessment tool for experimental bruxism studies: reliability and validity.
To combine empirical evidence and expert opinion in a formal consensus method in order to develop a quality-assessment tool for experimental bruxism studies in systematic reviews. ⋯ Qu-ATEBS, the seven-item evidence-based quality assessment tool developed here for use in systematic reviews of experimental bruxism studies, exhibits face validity, excellent discriminative validity, and acceptable inter-observer reliability. Development of quality assessment tools for many other topics in the orofacial pain literature is needed and may follow the described procedure.
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To investigate thermal thresholds of selected orofacial sites, determine if there is a relationship between thermal thresholds at each site, and analyze the influence of two different baseline temperatures on thermal thresholds at the tongue tip. ⋯ Thermal thresholds varied between the orofacial test sites, and baseline temperature affected thermal sensitivity of the tongue. Subjects who were relatively sensitive to cold tended to be more sensitive to heat.
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Cutaneous mastocytosis (CM) has been associated with urticaria, itching, and pain of the affected regions. Although the occurrence of CM in the facial skin is rare, it may be a cause of chronic facial pain, and pain characteristics may mistakenly be interpreted as trigeminal nerve pathology. However, the dermatological appearance of the different variants of cutaneous mastocytosis is distinct and should be considered as an uncommon differential diagnosis in an orofacial pain diagnostic algorithm. This article presents a case of telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans, a rare type of cutaneous mastocytosis, as the underlying cause of chronic facial pain, erythema, and swelling.
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To investigate cerebral cortical changes by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) after denture renewal and to test how these relate to prosthodontic treatment adaptability as measured by chewing efficiency and maximum bite force. ⋯ Changes in brain activity occurred in the adaptation to replacement dentures and appeared to regain preinsertion activity levels during motor tasks involving the dental occlusion after 3 months postinsertion.
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Comparative Study
Neuromuscular interaction of jaw and neck muscles during jaw clenching.
To test the hypothesis that jaw muscles and specific neck muscles, ie, levator scapulae, trapezius, sternocleidomastoideus, and splenius capitis, co-contract at the different submaximum bite forces usually generated during jaw clenching and tooth grinding, and for different bite force directions. ⋯ The findings support the assumption of a relationship between jaw clenching and the neck muscle activity investigated. The low level of co-contraction activity, however, requires further study to elucidate possible pathophysiological interactions at the level of single motor units.