Comparison of joint pain in patients diagnosed with and without articular disc displacement without reduction based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders

Abstract

We compared joint pain (JP) in patients diagnosed with and without articular disc displacement without reduction (ADD) based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and identified the characteristics of each JP. Fifty-eight patients with restricted mouth opening and pain in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and with a magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of ADD were selected. Diagnosis of ADD + JP and nonADD + JP was made with the use of the RDC/TMD. A multiple regression analysis of the data disclosed a positive correlation between range of motion on maximum assisted mouth opening and visual analog scale (VAS) (severity of JP) in the ADD + JP group, and between chronic pain grade (CPG) and VAS in the nonADD + JP group. A significant difference was observed between ADD + JP and nonADD + JP groups in CPG; CPG was higher in the nonADD + JP than in the ADD + JP group. It is suggested that JP related and unrelated to ADD can indicate different types of disease.