One-year evaluation of the effect of physical therapy for masticatory muscle pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Physical therapy is widely used to decrease pain and restore function in patients suffering from masticatory muscle pain. Controlled studies on its efficacy are scarce. This study evaluated the 1-year effect of a 6-week physical therapy programme in a single blind, randomized, controlled trial.

Randomized controlled trial on physical therapy for TMJ closed lock.

This study evaluated the one-year effect of physical therapy on pain and mandibular dysfunction associated with anterior disc displacement without reduction of the temporomandibular joint (closed lock). Forty-nine individuals were randomly assigned to either a physical therapy group [n = 23, mean age (SD) 34.7 (14.

Methodological quality of a systematic review on physical therapy for temporomandibular disorders: influence of hand search and quality scales.

The validity of a systematic review depends on completeness of identifying randomised clinical trials (RCTs) and the quality of the included RCTs. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of hand search on the number of identified RCTs and of four quality lists on the outcome of quality assessment of RCTs evaluating the effect of physical therapy on temporomandibular disorders. In addition, we investigated the association between publication year and the methodological quality of these RCTs.

Diagnostic accuracy of temporomandibular disorder pain tests: a multicenter study.

Aims: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) clinical examination and of the dynamic/static tests for the recognition of TMD pain. Since the diagnosis of TMD pain is especially complicated in persistent orofacial pain patients, the test outcomes in persistent TMD pain patients were contrasted to those in two control groups: a group of persistent dental pain patients and a group of pain-free subjects.

Methods: In 125 persistent TMD pain patients, 88 persistent dental pain patients, and 121 pain-free subjects, a blind and standardized clinical examination was performed.