Assessment of Basic Knowledge on Orofacial Pain amongst Undergraduate Dental Students.

INTRODUCTION: With pain being the major cause of visits to the dental clinic, the basic knowledge of causes for adequate management is paramount for dentists and dentists-in-training to improve the quality of life of patients. OBJECTIVE: The study was conducted to assess the knowledge of undergraduate dental students regarding orofacial pain (OFP) and how comfortable they are understanding, identifying, and diagnosing different categories of OFP. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst penultimate and final year dental students of two dental schools. A modified questionnaire on basic knowledge of OFP which contained 16 questions was adopted to evaluate students' knowledge. Questions also assessed how comfortable the students were diagnosing the different categories of OFP. P value was set at ≤0.05 (exact). RESULTS: One hundred and four undergraduates participated in the study. The age range was 23-33 years while the mean was 24.3 ± 2.1years. Only 31% got the basic questions correctly. About 51% in both levels claimed they had moderate knowledge (scale 5-7) of pain education, while 64% of final year students felt their knowledge was adequate for their clinical needs, 50% of the penultimate year felt otherwise (p=0.02). All students however believed they needed more teaching on orofacial pain, with the most preferred form of learning being clinic-based teaching (40.4%). CONCLUSION: The study showed moderate self-assessed knowledge but low general basic knowledge of OFP by the undergraduate students; possibly a reflection of the curriculum. Therefore, there is a need to improve the curriculum for orofacial pain teachings in dental schools.

CONTEXTE: La douleur étant la principale raison des visites chez le dentiste, la connaissance de base des causes pour une gestion adéquate est primordiale pour les dentistes et les étudiants en odontologie afin d'améliorer la qualité de vie des patients. OBJECTIF: L'étude avait pour but d'évaluer les connaissances des étudiants en odontologie sur les douleurs orofaciales (DOF) et dans quelle mesure ils se sentent à l'aise pour comprendre, identifier et diagnostiquer les différentes catégories de DOF. CONCEPTION: Une étude transversale a été menée auprès des étudiants en odontologie de deux écoles dentaires en avant-dernière et dernière année. Un questionnaire modifié sur les connaissances de base en DOF, comprenant 16 questions, a été adopté pour évaluer les connaissances des étudiants. Les questions ont également évalué dans quelle mesure les étudiants se sentaient à l'aise pour diagnostiquer les différentes catégories de DOF. La valeur Pa été fixée à ≤0,05 (exacte). RÉSULTATS: Cent quatre étudiants ont participé à l'étude. La tranche d'âge était de 23 à 33 ans, avec une moyenne de 24,3 ± 2,1 ans. Seuls 31 % ont répondu correctement aux questions de base. Environ 51 % des étudiants des deux niveaux ont affirmé qu'ils avaient des connaissances modérées (échelle de 5 à 7) en éducation sur la douleur, tandis que 64 % des étudiants en dernière année estimaient que leurs connaissances étaient adéquates pour leurs besoins cliniques, 50 % des étudiants en avantdernière année pensaient le contraire (p=0,02). Cependant, tous les étudiants estimaient avoir besoin d'un enseignement supplémentaire sur les douleurs orofaciales, la forme d'apprentissage préférée étant l'enseignement en clinique (40,4 %). CONCLUSION: L'étude a montré une connaissance auto-évaluée modérée mais des connaissances de base générales faibles sur les DOF parmi les étudiants en odontologie, ce qui pourrait être le reflet du programme d'études. Par conséquent, il est nécessaire d'améliorer le programme d'enseignement sur les douleurs orofaciales dans les écoles de dentisterie. Mots-clés: Douleurs orofaciales, connaissances, étudiants, éducation dentaire, Nigéria.

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of headaches in people with temporomandibular joint disorders: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Headaches (HAs) and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) are common comorbidities, and the presence of one of them in a patient increases the incidence of the other. The relationship between these 2 conditions may involve common pathophysiological processes. Considering the topicality of the problem, it is justified to conduct research in this field. In this study, we assessed HA type and severity in people with TMD. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to conduct qualitative and quantitative assessments of HAs in people with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 51 subjects of both sexes with a TMD diagnosed using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) test. A self-report questionnaire was utilized to self-assess the presence of TMD symptoms, while the standardized Short-Form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire was used to qualitatively and quantitatively assess HAs. RESULTS: People with TMD were significantly more likely to report HA occurrences (p < 0.001). Pain intensity was statistically significantly higher among individuals with TMD compared to those without TMD symptoms (p < 0.001). Most often, the HA was associated with a pressing pain (r = 0.82) and least often, it was described as cutting (r = 0.30). Neck and shoulder girdle pain (p = 0.059; 82.9%) and clenching and/or grinding of teeth (p = 0.021; 92.7%) were significantly more common among patients who declared HAs than among those without HAs. The results obtained so far may indicate a significant relationship between HA and TMD. CONCLUSION: We have described the relationship between the occurrence of HAs and TMD. Headaches are more frequent and more severe in people with TMD.

Assessment of Nerve Injury-induced Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats using an Orofacial Operant Pain Assay.

Pain has sensory and affective components. Unlike traditional, reflex-based pain assays, operant pain assays can produce more clinically relevant results by addressing the cognitive and motivational aspects of pain in rodents. This paper presents a protocol for assessing mechanical hypersensitivity following chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerves (CCI-ION) in rats using an orofacial operant pain system. Before CCI-ION surgery, rats were trained in an orofacial pain assessment device (OPAD) to drink sweetened condensed milk while making facial contact with the metal spiked bars and lick-tube. In this assay, rats can choose between receiving milk as a positive reinforcer or escaping an aversive mechanical stimulus that is produced by a vertical row of small pyramid-shaped spikes on each side of the reward access hole. Following 2 weeks of training in the OPAD and before the CCI-ION surgery, baseline mechanical sensitivity data were recorded for 5 days for each rat during a 10 min testing session. During a session, the operant system automatically records the number of reward bottle activations (licks) and facial contacts, contact duration, and latency to the first lick, among other measures. Following baseline measurements, rats underwent either CCI-ION or sham surgery. In this protocol, mechanical hypersensitivity was quantified by measuring the number of licks, latency to the first lick, the number of contacts, and the ratio of licks to facial contacts (L/F). The data showed that CCI-ION resulted in a significant decrease in the number of licks and the L/F ratio and an increase in the latency to the first lick, indicating mechanical hypersensitivity. These data support the use of operant-based pain assays to assess mechanical pain sensitivity in preclinical pain research.

The Global Need for Easy and Valid Assessment Tools for Orofacial Pain.

The World Health Organization recently adopted a historic resolution (WHA74.5) on the urgent need for global oral health improvement. This resolution is particularly relevant in the perspective of the high prevalence of untreated oral diseases. However, one important aspect has been mentioned only in passing, namely that poor oral health often leads to orofacial pain, which is the most common reason for emergency dental visits worldwide. Therefore, an evidence-based decision-making process on oral health should include data related to orofacial pain complaints. To that end, the availability of reliable and valid assessment tools of orofacial pain and related treatment outcomes is essential. INfORM (International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology) of the International Association for Dental Research has been one of the driving forces behind the development and implementation of comprehensive sets of tools for such assessments. However, as a prerequisite for the desired global implementation, reliable and valid tools that are also brief, easy to translate, and culturally adaptable need to be further developed and tested. Some of the groundwork to facilitate this process has already been carried out. In addition, a working group within INfORM has developed a short clinical assessment tool for orofacial pain diagnostics that is near completion and will soon be ready for dissemination. Ultimately, reliable and valid orofacial pain assessment is a necessary step toward the development and implementation of appropriate "best buy" interventions that address this major driver of need for oral health care worldwide.

Temporomandibular disorders cases with high-impact pain are more likely to experience short-term pain fluctuations.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients can present clinically significant jaw pain fluctuations which can be debilitating and lead to poor global health. The Graded Chronic Pain Scale evaluates pain-related disability and its dichotomous grading (high/low impact pain) can determine patient care pathways and in general high-impact pain patients have worse treatment outcomes. Individuals with low-impact TMD pain are thought to have better psychosocial functioning, more favorable disease course, and better ability to control pain, while individuals with high-impact pain can present with higher levels of physical and psychological symptoms. Thereby, there is reason to believe that individuals with low- and high-impact TMD pain could experience different pain trajectories over time. Our primary objective was to determine if short-term jaw pain fluctuations serve as a clinical marker for the impact status of TMD pain. To this end, we estimated the association between high/low impact pain status and jaw pain fluctuations over three visits (≤ 21-day-period) in 30 TMD cases. Secondarily, we measured the association between jaw pain intensity and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) over the face and hand, the latter measurements compared to matched pain-free controls (n = 17). Jaw pain fluctuations were more frequent among high-impact pain cases (n = 15) than low-impact pain cases (n = 15) (OR 5.5; 95% CI 1.2, 26.4; p value = 0.033). Jaw pain ratings were not associated with PPT ratings (p value > 0.220), suggesting different mechanisms for clinical versus experimental pain. Results from this proof-of-concept study suggest that targeted treatments to reduce short-term pain fluctuations in high-impact TMD pain is a potential strategy to achieve improved patient perception of clinical pain management outcomes.

Comparison of Axis II psychosocial assessment methods of RDC/TMD and DC/TMD as part of DC/TMD-FIN phase II validation studies in tertiary care Finnish TMD pain patients.

BACKGROUND: The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) include Axis II instruments for psychosocial assessment. OBJECTIVES: The aims were to compare the Finnish versions of Axis II psychosocial assessment methods of the RDC/TMD and DC/TMD and to study their internal reliability. METHODS: The sample comprised 197 tertiary care referral TMD pain patients. The associations between RDC/TMD [Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) 1.0, Symptom Check List 90-revised (SCL-90R)] and DC/TMD (GCPS 2.0, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), PHQ-15) assessment instruments were evaluated using Spearman correlation coefficients, Wilcoxon Signed Rank s, chi-squared test and gamma statistics. The internal reliability and internal inter-item consistency of SCL-90-R, PHQ-9, PHQ-15 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient values. RESULTS: The DC/TMD and RDC/TMD Axis II psychosocial instruments correlated strongly (p < .001). GCPS 1.0 and GCPS 2.0 grades were similarly distributed based on both criteria. The RDC/TMD psychological instruments had a higher tendency to subclassify patients with more severe symptoms of depression and non-specific physical symptoms compared to DC/TMD. The internal reliability and internal inter-item consistency were high for the psychological assessment instruments. CONCLUSION: The Finnish versions of the RDC/TMD and DC/TMD Axis II psychosocial instruments correlated strongly among tertiary care TMD pain patients. Furthermore, the Axis II psychological assessment instruments indicated high validity and internal inter-item consistency and are applicable in Finnish TMD pain patients as part of other comprehensive specialist level assessments, but further psychometric and cut-off evaluations are still needed.

Field-testing a psychosocial assessment scoring form for TMD patients - summarizing axis II instruments.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can be explained on the basis of a biopsychosocial model. However, psychosocial assessment is challenging in daily dental practice. The purpose of the current study was to field-test the practicability of a novel psychosocial assessment scoring form regarding the reliability of scoring procedures and the opinion of examiners. The working hypotheses were that the scoring results of inexperienced undergraduate students were similar to the results collected by a gold standard and that the scoring form was easy to use. METHODS: A psychosocial assessment scoring form was developed in accordance with guidelines of the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD), including results of the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS), Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ), and Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD). Inexperienced operators (undergraduate students) examined patients with TMD-associated complaints and rated the practicability of the scoring form. The scoring results were recalculated by two experienced operators and a consensus was defined as a gold standard. Reliability coefficients were determined comparing results of the gold standard and the inexperienced operators. RESULTS: Sixty-five examiners used the scoring form to obtain results for patients with TMD-associated complaints. Of the patients, 78.8% received a diagnosis according to DC/TMD decision trees. Two-thirds of the operators (62.9%) stated that the form was easy to complete, and 83.0% would use it in their dental practice. The reliability coefficients ranged between 0.81-1.00. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the present study, the psychosocial assessment scoring form seems to be an easy-to-use and practicable tool. The vast majority of the inexperienced examiners recommended the application.

Clinical and self-perceived oral health assessment of elderly residents in urban, rural, and institutionalized communities.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the self-perception of oral health according to the physical, psychosocial and pain/discomfort dimensions related to clinical conditions and orofacial pain of elderly people living in three different environments. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study with a population-based approach and nonprobabilistic convenience sampling that included 81 elderly people: 27 resided in institutional homes for elderly individuals, 27 resided in an urban area and 27 resided in a rural area in the interior of Paraíba (PB) in northeastern Brazil. RESULTS: The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was used to assess self-perception of oral health, while the Questionnaire for Screening of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders (QST/TMD) was used to assess the influences of orofacial pain and the biofilm indexes of teeth and prostheses. There was a statistically significant difference in the GOHAI scores among the places of residence, with the worst values associated with the rural area. According to the QST/TMD, the majority of individuals were affected by TMDs, with statistical differences for both sex and income. CONCLUSION: The biofilm analysis showed a higher incidence of clinical conditions in the rural population. The place of residence also influenced self-perception and the clinical oral health condition of elderly people; the rural population presented the worst results.

The implementation of a decision-tree did not increase decision-making in patients with temporomandibular disorders in the public dental health service.

OBJECTIVE: Many patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) seem to go undetected within primary dental health care. Primarily we evaluated if the implemented intervention increased the clinical decision-making for TMD patients; secondarily we evaluated if other factors could be identified that predicted performed or recommended TMD treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This case-control study was carried out within the Public Dental Health service in Västerbotten County, Sweden. An intervention based on a decision-tree with three screening questions for TMD (3Q/TMD) was implemented during 2015 in four clinics and compared with the remaining county. A total of 400 individuals were selected-200 3Q-positives and 200 3Q-negatives. The 3Q/TMD consists of Q1-frequent jaw pain, Q2-frequent pain on function, and Q3-frequent catching and/or locking of jaw. The 3Q/TMD answers were analyzed in relation to TMD treatment and any TMD related decision that was collected from the digital dental records. RESULTS: The intervention did not increase the frequencies of traceable clinical decisions among patients with TMD. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the implemented intervention aimed, the indicated undertreatment of patients with TMD remains. Future studies are still needed to gain a deeper understanding of the clinical decision-making process for TMD patients in general practice dentistry.

Nondental orofacial pain in dental practices - diagnosis, therapy and self-assessment of German dentists and dental students.

BACKGROUND: Patients with non-dental orofacial pain syndromes will often primarily consult general dentists and other dental specialists. Early and correct diagnosis and therapy is crucial to prevent chronification. METHODS: We assessed the experience of dentists (general dentists and dental specialists; n = 533) and knowledge level of dental students (n = 130) on the diagnosis and treatment of non-dental orofacial pain. We used an anonymized survey containing 14 items with the four main themes (1) prescription patterns, (2) treatment strategies in non-dental orofacial pain, (3) interdisciplinary cooperation, and (4) self-assessment of knowledge as well as post-graduate education. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of dental students stated that they feel either 'not at all' (56%) or only 'somewhat' (36%) prepared for the diagnosis or treatment of non-dental orofacial pain. Only 23% of the dentists reported 'good' or 'very good' confidence for the diagnosis of non-dental orofacial pain. NSAID were the analgesics of choice when the pain is unspecific (25%) or even neuralgic (10%). Dentists referred patients with non-dental orofacial pain mostly to ENT-physicians (59%), oral and maxillofacial surgeons (54%) or TMD specialists (51%). CONCLUSION: Interdisciplinary pain treatment seems to be well acknowledged, however, with a focus on referral within the community of dental specialists. Dental curricula and post-graduate trainings need to implement the diagnosis and treatment options of non-dental orofacial pain.

Orofacial pain assessment and management for patients with dementia: A meta-ethnography.

Delivering dental treatment for patients with dementia can be challenging, and the complexity of treatment provision can increase as dementia progresses. Treatment at the later stages of dementia can be associated with ethical challenges and procedural risk meaning that a comprehensive patient assessment is crucial; the presence of orofacial pain is a key indication for active intervention from dental teams. To explore the process of oro-facial pain assessment and management, a comprehensive review of qualitative literature was undertaken by searching six electronic databases. No literature specific to orofacial pain assessment was identified. The inclusion criteria were widened to explore assessment and management of pain in general for patients with dementia. Meta-ethnography with reciprocal translation was used to identify key concepts and themes and synthesise information applicable to the dental setting. Three major themes arose as follows: challenges with pain assessment, challenges with pain management and logistics and education. Healthcare teams struggle with pain identification in patients with dementia though many signs were identified which may suggest a patient is experiencing pain. The long-term knowledge of individual patients held by family members and care teams can allow identification of deviation from patients' normal states; this knowledge can assist healthcare professionals in determining whether to provide specific treatments or interventions. Pain assessment tools were found to be problematic and are unlikely to be a practical solution to use for complex patients in dental settings. Education for dental and wider care teams on orofacial pain would be highly valuable; yet, this needs to be based on suitable evidence.

Clinical and self-perceived oral health assessment of elderly residents in urban, rural, and institutionalized communities

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the self-perception of oral health according to the physical, psychosocial and pain/discomfort dimensions related to clinical conditions and orofacial pain of elderly people living in three different environments. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study with a population-based approach and nonprobabilistic convenience sampling that included 81 elderly people: 27 resided in institutional homes for elderly individuals, 27 resided in an urban area and 27 resided in a rural area in the interior of Paraíba (PB) in northeastern Brazil. RESULTS: The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was used to assess self-perception of oral health, while the Questionnaire for Screening of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders (QST/TMD) was used to assess the influences of orofacial pain and the biofilm indexes of teeth and prostheses. There was a statistically significant difference in the GOHAI scores among the places of residence, with the worst values associated with the rural area. According to the QST/TMD, the majority of individuals were affected by TMDs, with statistical differences for both sex and income. CONCLUSION: The biofilm analysis showed a higher incidence of clinical conditions in the rural population. The place of residence also influenced self-perception and the clinical oral health condition of elderly people; the rural population presented the worst results.

Reliability of Mechanical Sensitivity Mapping in the Orofacial Region of Healthy Chinese Individuals: Towards Standardized Assessment of Somatosensory Function.

AIMS: To investigate the test-retest reliability of mechanical sensitivity mapping in the masseter and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) regions between sessions, days, and examiners with a fixed and standardized pressure stimulus, as well as to compare mechanical sensitivity between sides and sites. METHODS: A total of 20 healthy young volunteers participated. Pressure stimulation was applied to 15 sites in the masseter region with a Palpeter device of 1.0-kg force and to 9 sites in the TMJ region with a Palpeter of 0.5-kg force. All participants were tested twice in two separate sessions on the same day by Examiner 1 with an interval of 3 hours between tests. After 1 week, the protocol was repeated in the same manner in two separate sessions by Examiner 1 and Examiner 2 (one session each). RESULTS: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of numeric rating scale (NRS) scores and center of gravity (COG) values in both regions showed no significant main effects of examiner, day, or session (P ≥ .167). The test-retest reliability of data implied excellent agreement (intra-class correlation coefficients all > 0.75) between different examiners, days, and sessions. In addition, the ANOVA of the mean NRS scores in both regions showed significant main effects of site (P = .001). CONCLUSION: This feasible and reliable technique may provide a new tool for comprehensive evaluation of mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia in the orofacial region, which are common features related to temporomandibular disorders and other chronic craniofacial pain conditions.

Comparison of Risk Factors in Patients With Acute and Chronic Orofacial Pain.

Management of patients with orofacial pain may benefit from a better understanding about patient factors that may lead pain chronicity. In this study, we retrospectively compared physical and psychological factors in patients with acute and chronic orofacial pain. We analyzed data from 854 patients presenting to the Orofacial Pain Center, Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Tokyo Dental College, Suidobashi Hospital between April 2010 and March 2014. We categorized patients into the acute group if their condition had persisted <6 months and the chronic group if their condition had lasted 6 months or longer, based on the classification by the International Association for the Study of Pain. The retrospective data were analyzed by using univariate analysis on background factors from a health questionnaire, pain evaluation sheet, and psychological test completed at the time of presentation. Multiple logistic regression was applied on these factors. Our results suggest that female gender and high trait anxiety may be involved in orofacial pain becoming chronic.

[Neurophysiological assessment of persistent idiopathic facial pain]. / Neirofiziologicheskaia otsenka persistiruiushchei idiopaticheskoi litsevoi boli.

AIM: To study neurophysiological characteristics of persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) in comparison to trigeminal neuralgia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-five patients with PIFP at the age from 25 to 74 years (42 women and 3 men), 25 patients with trigeminal neuralgia at the age from 25 to 84 (15 women and 10 men) and 20 healthy volunteers were examined. Multimodal evoked potentials (EP): brainstem auditory (BAEPs), trigeminal (TEPs) and sympathetic skin responses (SSRs) evoked potentials were recorded. EEG with functional tests (hyperventilation, rhythmical photic stimulation and test with eye opening) was recorded as well. RESULTS: The neurophysiological pattern of PIFP includes: 1) shortening of the latent period (LP) and an increase in peak amplitudes of short-latent components of the BAEPs on both sides in combination with signs of brainstem structure dysfunction (fusion of II-III or III-IV peaks, bifurcation of peaks and lengthening of inter-peaks intervals); 2) normal parameters of the TEPs; 3) an increase in the amplitude of autonomic components (sympathetic and parasympathetic without signs of predominance of the tone of this or that system), intensification of the autonomic reaction; 4) disorganization and acuity of the alpha rhythm, smoothing of zonal differences, presence of bilateral tapering alpha-, theta- or alpha-theta waves on the EEG. CONCLUSION: Patients with PIFP have significant changes in EP and EEG connected with brainstem structure dysfunction and irritation of subcortical structures and autonomic disorders.

Assessment of the Orofacial Pain Patient.

The diagnostic process of pain in the oral, facial, and head region is often perceived as more difficult due the numerous, extensively innervated structures located in this area. To successfully manage the patient with these pain presentations, it is critical for the clinician to spend ample time procuring a good medical and dental history. A systematic approach to the physical examination will ensure that sufficient data are acquired without overlooking potentially important contributing factors. The use of adjunctive laboratory tests and imaging studies should be based on the findings in the history and examination.

Quantitative sensory testing for assessment of somatosensory function in human oral mucosa: a review.

OBJECTIVE: This narrative review provides an overview of the quantitative sensory testing (QST) to assess somatosensory function in human oral mucosa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database to identify studies in vivo on human oral mucosa using QST methods. A list of 149 articles was obtained and screened. A total of 36 relevant articles remained and were read in full text. Manual search of the reference lists identified eight additional relevant studies. A total of 44 articles were included for final assessment. RESULTS: The included studies were divided into six categories according to the study content and objective. In each category, there was a great variety of aims, methods, participants and outcome measures. The application of QST has nevertheless helped to monitor somatosensory function in experimental models of intraoral pain, effects of local anesthesia, after oral and maxillofacial surgery and after prosthodontic and orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: QST has been proved to be sufficiently stable and reliable, and valuable information has been obtained regarding somatosensory function in healthy volunteers, special populations and orofacial pain patients. However, as most of the studies were highly heterogeneous, the results are difficult to compare quantitatively. A standardized intraoral QST protocol is recommended and expected to help advance a mechanism-based assessment of neuropathies and other intraoral pain conditions.

Outcome of three screening questions for temporomandibular disorders (3Q/TMD) on clinical decision-making.

Patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) seem to go undetected and not adequately managed within dentistry. To identify these patients, three screening questions (3Q/TMD) have been introduced within dentistry in parts of Sweden. It is not known whether 3Q/TMD affects the clinical decision-making for these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of 3Q/TMD on the clinical decision-making and to analyse whether gender, age and the fee system the individual was assigned to were related to prescribed TMD treatment. This cohort study was carried out within the Public Dental Health service in Västerbotten, Sweden. As part of the routine dental check-up, a health declaration including 3Q/TMD was completed. The study population was randomly selected based on their 3Q/TMD answers. In total, 300 individuals with an affirmative answer to any of the 3Q/TMD, and 500 individuals with all negative answers were selected. The 3Q/TMD includes questions on weekly jaw-face-temple pain (Q1), pain on function (Q2) and catching/locking of the jaw (Q3). The 3Q/TMD was analysed in relation to prescribed treatment assessed from dental records. There was significantly more treatment performed or recommended for 3Q-positives (21·5%), compared to 3Q-negatives (2·2%) (P < 0·001). The odds ratio for TMD-related treatment for 3Q-positives versus 3Q-negatives was 12·1 (95% CI: 6·3-23·4). Although affirmative answers to the 3Q/TMD was related to TMD treatment, the majority of individuals with a screen positive still did not, according to dental records, receive assessment or treatment. Further studies are needed to better understand the clinical decision-making process for patients with TMD.

Initial accuracy assessment of the modified S-LANSS for the detection of neuropathic orofacial pain conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of a questionnaire modified for the identification of intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics in a clinical orofacial pain sample population. METHOD AND MATERIALS: 136 participants with at least one of four orofacial pain diagnoses (temporomandibular disorders [TMD, n = 41], acute dental pain [ADP, n = 41], trigeminal neuralgia [TN, n = 19], persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder [PDAP, n = 14]) and a group of pain-free controls (n = 21) completed the modified S-LANSS, a previously adapted version of the original questionnaire devised to detected patients suffering from intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics. Psychometric properties (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV]) were calculated in two analyses with two different thresholds: (1) Detection of pain with neuropathic characteristics: PDAP + TN were considered positive, and TMD + ADP + controls were considered negative per gold standard (expert opinion). (2) Detection of PDAP: PDAP was considered positive and TMD + ADP were considered negative per gold standard. For both analyses, target values for adequate sensitivity and specificity were defined as ≥ 80%. RESULTS: For detection of orofacial pain with neuropathic characteristics (PDAP + TN), the modified S-LANSS presented with the most optimistic threshold sensitivity of 52% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-69), specificity of 70% (95% CI, 60-79), PPV of 35% (95% CI, 22-51), and NPV of 82% (95% CI, 72-89). For detection of PDAP only, with the most optimistic threshold sensitivity was 64% (95% CI, 35-87), specificity 63% (95% CI, 52-74), PPV 23% (95% CI, 11-39) and NPV 91% (95% CI, 81-97). CONCLUSION: Based on a priori defined criteria, the modified S-LANSS did not show adequate accuracy to detect intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics in a clinical orofacial pain sample.