Presentation and primary care management of temporomandibular disorders: A survey of primary care dentists in Santiago and Newcastle.

BACKGROUND: Primary care dentists are often the first point of call for people with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) but it is not known how many people present to their dentist with TMD or the forms of first-line management that are routinely offered. OBJECTIVES: To report rates of presentation of TMD and management offered in primary care by general dental practitioners in two similarly urban areas, Santiago, Chile and North-East England. METHODS: An online survey was developed and distributed to primary care dentists in both regions. Descriptive data were presented to quantify presentation rates and forms of management offered. RESULTS: Responses were received from 215 dentists practising in Chile and 46 in Newcastle. The majority reported seeing 1-2 patients weekly with TMD and less than one new presentation each week. Symptoms were most often treated conservatively and with self-management according to international guidelines. The form of self-management varied however and verbal instructions were often not backed up by written information. CONCLUSIONS: This research provides a useful starting point in understanding the presentation to, and initial treatment of TMD in primary care internationally. Limitations included the method of recruitment and potentially non-representative samples. Further research could build on this work by including more countries and using more structured sampling methods. The work will be useful in understanding and planning early care pathways for people experiencing TMD.

Constructing the brief diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (bDC/TMD) for field testing.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in temporomandibular disorders' (TMDs) diagnosis, the diagnostic process continues to be problematic in non-specialist settings. OBJECTIVE: To complete a Delphi process to shorten the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) to a brief DC/TMD (bDC/TMD) for expedient clinical diagnosis and initial management. METHODS: An international Delphi panel was created with 23 clinicians representing major specialities, general dentistry and related fields. The process comprised a full day workshop, seven virtual meetings, six rounds of electronic discussion and finally an open consultation at a virtual international symposium. RESULTS: Within the physical axis (Axis 1), the self-report Symptom Questionnaire of the DC/TMD did not require shortening from 14 items for the bDC/TMD. The compulsory use of the TMD pain screener was removed reducing the total number of Axis 1 items by 18%. The DC/TMD Axis 1 10-section examination protocol (25 movements, up to 12 sets of bilateral palpations) was reduced to four sections in the bDC/TMD protocol involving three movements and three sets of palpations. Axis I then resulted in two groups of diagnoses: painful TMD (inclusive of secondary headache), and common joint-related TMD with functional implications. The psychosocial axis (Axis 2) was shortened to an ultra-brief 11 item assessment. CONCLUSION: The bDC/TMD represents a substantially reduced and likely expedited method to establish (grouping) diagnoses in TMDs. This may provide greater utility for settings requiring less granular diagnoses for the implementation of initial treatment, for example non-specialist general dental practice.

Challenges in the clinical implementation of a biopsychosocial model for assessment and management of orofacial pain.

Distress, suffering and care-seeking behaviour are characteristics of pain-related disease and illness. Pain that transitions from an acute to a chronic phase carries with it the potential of further effects: these include a worsening of the disease or illness; high-impact chronic pain; and substantial personal, societal and economic burden. The biopsychosocial model directly addresses these multiple processes, yet clinical frameworks supporting this model are not universally implemented. This paper explores barriers to clinical implementation of a full biopsychosocial framework for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and other oro-facial pain (OFP) conditions. In June 2016, INfORM invited OFP researchers to a workshop designed to optimise the DC/TMD Axis-II. Workshop groups identified five sources of implementation barriers: (1) cultures and societies, (2) levels-of-care settings, (3) health services, (4) cross-cultural validity of self-report instruments and (5) provider and patient health literacy. Three core problems emerged: (A) mental health aspects are seldom fully considered, thus impairing the recognition of illness, (B) training in use of validated multi-axial assessment protocols is under-rated and insufficiently used, and (C) clinical assessment often fails to recognise that sensory and emotional dimensions are fundamental aspects of pain. To improve patient care, these barriers and problems require action. Most importantly, TMD/OFP educators and researchers need to coordinate globally and (i) be educated in the biopsychosocial model, (ii) implement evidence-based biopsychosocial guidelines for assessment and management of OFP conditions at their institutions, (iii) incorporate this model in undergraduate and postgraduate dental curricula and (iv) be responsive to stakeholders, including regulatory authorities and practitioners.

Temporomandibular disorders: INfORM/IADR key points for good clinical practice based on standard of care.

OBJECTIVE: To present a list of key points for good Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs) clinical practice on behalf of the International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology (INfORM) group of the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR). METHODS: An open working group discussion was held at the IADR General Session in New Orleans (March 2024), where members of the INfORM group finalized the proposal of a list of 10 key points. RESULTS: The key points covered knowledge on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. They represent a summary of the current standard of care for management of TMD patients. They are in line with the current need to assist general dental practitioners advance their understanding and prevent inappropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The key points can be viewed as a guiding template for other national and international associations to prepare guidelines and recommendations on management of TMDs adapted to the different cultural, social, educational, and healthcare requirements.

Remarks on "Temporomandibular Disorders: Priorities for Research and Care": how will Chile advance? / Observaciones sobre trastornos temporomandibulares: prioridades de investigación y atención: ¿cómo avanzará Chile?

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are complex multi-system disorders for which common traditional dental-centric approaches to research and care unfortunately continue to prevail. A committee appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAM) of the United States of America summarized important recommendations regarding the urgent need to transform, from the predominantly biomedical model, the research, professional education/training, and patient care for TMDs into the biopsychosocial model that is standard in the rest of pain medicine. The release of the Consensus Study Report identifies eleven short-term and long-term recommendations regarding gaps and opportunities oriented towards the situation in the US, which are equally applicable to the situation in Chile. The first four recommendations focus on basic and translational research, public health research and strengthening clinical research. The next three recommendations concern risk assessment, diagnostics, and dissemination of clinical practice guidelines and care metrics to improve patient care and expand its access. Recommendations eight to ten propose Centers of Excellence for Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain Treatment, improving professional school education, and expanding specialized continuing education for healthcare providers. The eleventh recommendation focuses on patient education and stigma reduction. This article highlights the published recommendations and addresses what should be considered by Chilean professionals, as a first step of a major effort to shift TMD research, treatment, and education paradigms for the years to come.

Los trastornos temporomandibulares son complejos trastornos multisistémicos para los que, lamentablemente, siguen prevaleciendo los enfoques tradicionales odontocéntricos comunes de la investigación y la atención. Un comité designado por las Academias Nacionales de Ciencias, Ingeniería y Medicina de los Estados Unidos de América resumió importantes recomendaciones relativas a la urgente necesidad de transformar, desde el modelo predominantemente biomédico, la investigación, la educación/formación profesional y la atención al paciente para los trastornos temporomandibulares en el modelo biopsicosocial que es estándar en el resto de la medicina del dolor. La publicación del informe del estudio de consenso identifica once recomendaciones de corto y largo plazo respecto a brechas y oportunidades orientadas a la situación en Estados Unidos, que son igualmente aplicables a la situación en Chile. Las primeras cuatro recomendaciones se centran en la investigación básica y traslacional, la investigación en salud pública y el fortalecimiento de la investigación clínica. Las tres recomendaciones siguientes se refieren a la evaluación de riesgos, el diagnóstico y la difusión de guías de práctica clínica y métricas asistenciales para mejorar la atención de los pacientes y ampliar su acceso. Las recomendaciones octavas a décima proponen centros de excelencia para el tratamiento de los trastornos temporomandibulares y el dolor orofacial, la mejora de la formación en los centros profesionales y la ampliación de la formación continua especializada para los profesionales sanitarios. La undécima recomendación se centra en la educación de los pacientes y la reducción del estigma. Este artículo destaca las recomendaciones publicadas y aborda lo que debiesen considerar los profesionales chilenos, como primer paso hacia un gran esfuerzo por cambiar los paradigmas de investigación, tratamiento y educación sobre los trastornos temporomandibulares para los próximos años.

Temporomandibular disorders: a review of current concepts in aetiology, diagnosis and management.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is a collective term for a group of musculoskeletal conditions involving pain and/or dysfunction in the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and associated structures. It is the most common type of non-odontogenic orofacial pain and patients can present with pain affecting the face/head, TMJ and or teeth, limitations in jaw movement, and sounds in the TMJ during jaw movements. Comorbid painful and non-painful conditions are also common among individuals with TMD. The diagnosis of TMD have significantly improved over time with the recent Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) being reliable and valid for most common diagnoses, and an efficient way to communicate in multidisciplinary settings. This classification covers 12 most common TMD, including painful (myalgia, arthralgia and headache attributed to TMD) as well as the non-painful (disc displacements, degenerative joint disease and subluxation) TMD diagnoses. Recent studies have demonstrated that the pathophysiology of common painful TMD is biopsychosocial and multifactorial, where no one factor is responsible for its development. Importantly, research has suggested different predisposing, initiating and perpetuating factors, including both peripheral and central mechanisms. This is an active field of investigation and future studies will not only seek to clarify specific causal pathways but translate this knowledge into mechanism-directed diagnosis and treatment. In accordance with this complex aetiology, current evidence supports primarily conservative multidisciplinary treatment including self-management strategies, behavioural therapy, physical therapy and pharmacotherapy. The aim of this review is to present an overview of most recent developments in aetiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of TMD.

Observaciones sobre trastornos temporomandibulares: prioridades de investigación y atención: ¿cómo avanzará Chile? / Remarks on "temporomandibular disorders: priorities for research and care": how will Chile advance?

Los trastornos temporomandibulares son complejos trastornos multisistémicos para los que, lamentablemente, siguen prevaleciendo los enfoques tradicionales odontocéntricos comunes de la investigación y la atención. Un comité designado por las Academias Nacionales de Ciencias, Ingeniería y Medicina de los Estados Unidos de América resumió importantes recomendaciones relativas a la urgente necesidad de transformar, desde el modelo predominantemente biomédico, la investigación, la educación/formación profesional y la atención al paciente para los trastornos temporomandibulares en el modelo biopsicosocial que es estándar en el resto de la medicina del dolor. La publicación del informe del estudio de consenso identifica once recomendaciones de corto y largo plazo respecto a brechas y oportunidades orientadas a la situación en Estados Unidos, que son igualmente aplicables a la situación en Chile. Las primeras cuatro recomendaciones se centran en la investigación básica y traslacional, la investigación en salud pública y el fortalecimiento de la investigación clínica. Las tres recomendaciones siguientes se refieren a la evaluación de riesgos, el diagnóstico y la difusión de guías de práctica clínica y métricas asistenciales para mejorar la atención de los pacientes y ampliar su acceso. Las recomendaciones octavas a décima proponen centros de excelencia para el tratamiento de los trastornos temporomandibulares y el dolor orofacial, la mejora de la formación en los centros profesionales y la ampliación de la formación continua especializada para los profesionales sanitarios. La undécima recomendación se centra en la educación de los pacientes y la reducción del estigma. Este artículo destaca las recomendaciones publicadas y aborda lo que debiesen considerar los profesionales chilenos, como primer paso hacia un gran esfuerzo por cambiar los paradigmas de investigación, tratamiento y educación sobre los trastornos temporomandibulares para los próximos años.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are complex multi-system disorders for which common traditional dental-centric approaches to research and care unfortunately continue to prevail. A committee appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAM) of the United States of America summarized important recommendations regarding the urgent need to transform, from the predominantly biomedical model, the research, professional education/training, and patient care for TMDs into the biopsychosocial model that is standard in the rest of pain medicine. The release of the Consensus Study Report identifies eleven short-term and long-term recommendations regarding gaps and opportunities oriented towards the situation in the US, which are equally applicable to the situation in Chile. The first four recommendations focus on basic and translational research, public health research and strengthening clinical research. The next three recommendations concern risk assessment, diagnostics, and dissemination of clinical practice guidelines and care metrics to improve patient care and expand its access. Recommendations eight to ten propose Centers of Excellence for Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain Treatment, improving professional school education, and expanding specialized continuing education for healthcare providers. The eleventh recommendation focuses on patient education and stigma reduction. This article highlights the published recommendations and addresses what should be considered by Chilean professionals, as a first step of a major effort to shift TMD research, treatment, and education paradigms for the years to come.

Caries-free subjects have high levels of urease and arginine deiminase activity.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the relationship between urease and arginine deiminase system (ADS) activities and dental caries through a cross-sectional study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Urease and ADS activities were measured in saliva and plaque samples from 10 caries-free subjects and 13 caries-active. Urease activity was obtained from the ammonia produced by incubation of plaque and saliva samples in urea. ADS activity was obtained from the ammonia generated by the arginine-HCl and Tris-maleate buffer. Specific activity was defined as micromoles of ammonia per minute per milligram of protein. Shapiro-Wilk statistical test was used to analyze the distribution of the data, and Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the significance of the data. RESULTS: The specific urease activity in saliva and plaque was significantly higher in individuals with low DMFT scores. ADS activity in saliva (6.050 vs 1.350, p=0.0154) and plaque (8.830 vs 1.210, p=0.025) was also higher in individuals with low DMFT scores. CONCLUSIONS: Caries-free subjects had a higher ammonia generation activity by urease and arginine deiminase system for both saliva and plaque samples than low caries-active subjects. High levels of alkali production in oral environment were related to caries-free subjects.

Caries-free subjects have high levels of urease and arginine deiminase activity

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between urease and arginine deiminase system (ADS) activities and dental caries through a cross-sectional study. Material and Methods: Urease and ADS activities were measured in saliva and plaque samples from 10 caries-free subjects and 13 caries-active. Urease activity was obtained from the ammonia produced by incubation of plaque and saliva samples in urea. ADS activity was obtained from the ammonia generated by the arginine-HCl and Tris-maleate buffer. Specific activity was defined as micromoles of ammonia per minute per milligram of protein. Shapiro-Wilk statistical test was used to analyze the distribution of the data, and Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the significance of the data. Results: The specific urease activity in saliva and plaque was significantly higher in individuals with low DMFT scores. ADS activity in saliva (6.050 vs 1.350, p=0.0154) and plaque (8.830 vs 1.210, p=0.025) was also higher in individuals with low DMFT scores. Conclusions: Caries-free subjects had a higher ammonia generation activity by urease and arginine deiminase system for both saliva and plaque samples than low caries-active subjects. High levels of alkali production in oral environment were related to caries-free subjects. .

Intervención psicológica en trastornos temporomandibulares: revisión narrativa / Psychological intervention in temporomandibular disorders: review

Los pacientes con trastornos temporomandibulares (TTM) presentan trastornos psicológicos y psiquiátricos frecuentemente. Estos pacientes frecuentemente muestran somatización, depresión, ansiedad, reacción al estrés y catastrofismo, lo que juega un rol en la predisposición, iniciación y perpetuación de los TTM y en la respuesta al tratamiento. Esta revisión presenta opciones terapéuticas que comprometen al eje psicológico de los pacientes con TTM, las cuales buscan principalmente reducir la ansiedad y la tensión emocional presentes, modificar las distintas percepciones del dolor y cómo afrontarlo. Existen diversas posibilidades, dentro de las cuales se encuentran: educación del paciente, identificación de las situaciones que incrementan esa tensión para evitarlas, enseñanza de técnicas de relajación como biofeedback, hipnosis y yoga. En cuanto al tratamiento psicológico, la que presenta mejor resultado para los TTM, es la terapia cognitiva conductual (TCC). La intervención psicológica adecuada y eficaz puede reducir el dolor de los TTM, disminuyendo la probabilidad de que el cuadro se haga más complejo. Dentro de las alternativas de tratamiento psicológico para los TTM, un tratamiento estándar conservador (educación, instrucción de autocuidado, evitación de movimientos dolorosos, dieta blanda), incluso el más breve, puede ser suficiente a corto plazo para la mayoría de los pacientes que presentan TTM, sobretodo en los casos de cuadros agudos. La adición de una TCC, por parte de un especialista, entrega habilidades de afrontamiento que se sumarán a la eficacia, especialmente en los casos crónicos, obteniendo mejores resultados a largo plazo.

Patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) frecuently present psychological and psychiatric problems. These patients often show increased somatization, depression, anxiety, stress reaction and catastrophism, wich plays a role in the predisposition, initiation and perpetuation of TMD and treatment response. This review presents thaerapeutic options that compromise the psychological axis of patients with TMD, wich primarily seek to reduce the anxiety and the emotional stress present, modify different perceptions of pain and coping. There are different posibilities, within wich are: patient education, identifying situations that increase the tension to avoid them, teaching relaxation techniques such as biofeedback, hipnosis and yoga. As for psychological treatment, the most common for chronic orofacial pain is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The appropriate and effective psychological intervention can reduce TMD pain, decreasing the probability that the symptoms become more complex. Within psychological treatment options for TMD, conservative standard treatment (education, self-instruction, avoidance of painful movements, soft diet), even the shortest, may be sufficient in the short term for most patients with TMD, especially in cases of acute conditions. The addition of CBT, by a specialist, gives coping skills that will add to the effectiveness, especially in chronic cases, obtaining better results in the long term.