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. 2022 Feb;153(2):144-157.
doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.07.027. Epub 2021 Dec 29.

Management of painful temporomandibular disorders: Methods and overview of The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network prospective cohort study

Ana Miriam Velly, Gary C Anderson, John O Look, Joseph L Riley, D Bradley Rindal, Kimberly Johnson, Qi Wang, James Fricton, Kevin Huff, Richard Ohrbach, Gregg H Gilbert, Eric Schiffman; National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group

Management of painful temporomandibular disorders: Methods and overview of The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network prospective cohort study

Ana Miriam Velly et al. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022 Feb.

Erratum in

  • Correction.
    [No authors listed] [No authors listed] J Am Dent Assoc. 2022 Aug;153(8):A8. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.06.001. Epub 2022 Jun 22. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022. PMID: 35750528 No abstract available.

Abstract

Background: Patients often seek consultation with dentists for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The objectives of this article were to describe the methods of a large prospective cohort study of painful TMD management, practitioners' and patients' characteristics, and practitioners' initial treatment recommendations conducted by The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (the "network").

Methods: Participating dentists recruited into this study treated patients seeking treatment for painful TMDs. The authors developed self-report instruments based on well-accepted instruments. The authors collected demographics, biopsychosocial characteristics, TMD symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, treatment adherence, and painful TMDs and jaw function outcomes through 6 months.

Results: Participating dentists were predominately White (76.8%) and male (62.2%), had a mean age of 52 years, and were general practitioners (73.5%) with 23.8% having completed an orofacial pain residency. Of the 1,901 patients with painful TMDs recruited, the predominant demographics were White (84.3%) and female (83.3%). Patients' mean age was 44 years, 88.8% self-reported good to excellent health, and 85.9% had education beyond high school. Eighty-two percent had pain or stiffness of the jaw on awakening, and 40.3% had low-intensity pain. The most frequent diagnoses were myalgia (72.4%) and headache attributed to TMDs (51.0%). Self-care instruction (89.4%), intraoral appliances (75.4%), and medications (57.6%) were recommended frequently.

Conclusions: The characteristics of this TMD cohort include those typical of US patients with painful TMDs. Network practitioners typically managed TMDs using conservative treatments.

Practical implications: This study provides credible data regarding painful TMDs and TMD management provided by network practitioners across the United States. Knowledge acquired of treatment recommendations and patient reports may support future research and improve dental school curricula.

Keywords: National Dental Practice-Based Research Network; Prospective; dental practitioners; temporomandibular disorders.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Participant flow diagram and study overview.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms and diagnoses for study patients. Percentage of total sample (n = 1,901 patients).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Oral behaviors checklist for study patients. Percentage of total sample (n = 1,901 patients). *: 0.9%. Missing: < 2.3%.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Facial pain. Accessed April 1, 2021. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/FacialPain
    1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs): from research discoveries to clinical treatment. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/temporomandibular-disorders-t...
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    1. Velly AM, Schiffman EL, Rindal DB, et al. The feasibility of a clinical trial of pain related to temporomandibular muscle and joint disorders: the results of a survey from the Collaboration on Networked Dental and Oral Research dental practice-based research networks. JADA. 2013;144(1):e1–e10. - PMC - PubMed
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