M. Yamaoka et al., RESPONSES TO CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS WITH LOCKING VERSUS WITH MUSCLE PAIN, Cranio, 15(4), 1997, pp. 296-299
We conducted a follow-up study of 150 patients with temporomandibular
disorders, of whom 91 had muscle pain and 59 locking, in order to inve
stigate the response to conservative treatment. The patients with musc
le pain showed fairly uniform age distribution, while the percentage o
ver 49 years of age was lower in those with locking. Of the patients w
ith TMJ locking, the percentage who completed treatment was high, and
the duration of treatment in this group was longer than that in those
with muscle pain. The differences between these patient groups in the
response to conservative treatment may be useful in the assessment of
individual patients with temporomandibular disorders, Moreover, the gr
eater incidence of completion of conservative treatment in the patient
s with locking indicates that these patients should be treated by cons
ervative treatment prior to surgical treatment.