Relationships between risk factors and treatment outcome in a group of patients with temporomandibular disorders

The aim of this study was to compare somatic complaints, anxiety, and pain related to temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in a group of TMD patients who had high scores for headache and muscle palpation compared with that of a group of TMD patients who had low or medium scores for headache and palpation before and 2 years after conservative TMD treatment, consisting of counseling, muscle exercises, and a stabilization splint. The high-score group consisted of 23 patients who had headaches several times a week or daily and had more than three muscles graded as severly tender to palpation. The low/medium-score group comprised 28 patients who had headaches hardly ever, once or twice a month, or several times amonth, and with muscles graded as slightly or medium tender to palpation. The patients answered three questionnaires (McGill Pain Questionnaire {Norwegian version}, a somatic complaints questionnaire, and the trait part of Spielberger Stait Trait Anxiety Inventory) before and 2 years after treatment. The findings showed differences between the two groups concerning pain description, general muscle complaints, and anxiety both before and after the treatment, with the high-score group showing the highest values. In general, the treatment outcome had improved in the low/medium-score group but remained unchanged in the high-score group.