Temporomandibular disorders: a critical review of the nature of pain and its assessment

Abstract

Temporomandibular disorders is a common form of chronic pain affecting the head, face, and jaw. The distinguishing symptoms of this disorder include pain and impairment of the masticatory function, and frequent display of symptoms, ranging from aches in the head, neck, ears, and eyes, to atypical toothaches, throat symptoms, and occlusal changes. It is recognized that pain is a complex, multifactorial experience including not only sensory dimensions, but also affective and cognitive factors. Recent recommendations regard temporomandibular disorders as a dual-axis disorder with physical and psychologic dimensions, but little research has incorporated measures of multidimensional pain characteristics in the assessment of temporomandibular disorders. This article is a review of the literature on the psychophysiologic factors contributing to temporomandibular disorders and its limitations. Recommendations for future research are also given.