Analysis of stimulus-evoked pain in patients with myofascial temporomandibular pain disorders.

The pathophysiological mechanisms of myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are still under investigation. The hypothesis that TMD pain is caused by a generalized sensitization of higher order neurons in the nociceptive pathways combined with a decreased efficacy of endogenous inhibitory systems has recently gained support in the literature. This study was designed to further investigate the somatosensory sensibility within and outside the craniofacial region.

Comparing TMD diagnoses and clinical findings at Swedish and US TMD centers using research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders.

The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) guidelines, originally developed in the United States, were translated and used to classify TMD patients on physical diagnosis (Axis I) and pain-related disability and psychologic status (Axis II) in a TMD specialty clinic in Sweden. The objectives of the study were to determine if such a translation process resulted in a clinically useful diagnostic research measure and to report initial findings when the RDC/TMD was used in cross-cultural comparisons. Findings gathered using the Swedish version of the RDC/TMD were compared with findings from a major US TMD specialty clinic that provided much of the clinical data used to formulate the original RDC/TMD.