CRANIOMANDIBULAR DYSFUNCTION - PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO TREATMENT OUTCOME

In a previous study it was concluded that only a few changes in sympto ms related to craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) could be attributed t o therapy. It was suggested that psychosocial and socio-demographic va riables, as well as symptom characteristics, could be responsible for the unconvincing treatment outcome in patients treated with a splint. The present study was performed to investigate whether socio-demograph ic characteristics, symptom characteristics and various psychosocial v ariables are associated with treatment outcome in patients with CMD tr eated with a splint. Treatment outcome was determined by using self-re ported follow-up data. Results showed that patients with a negative tr eatment outcome were older, reported more and more severe symptoms and correlates of CMD, reported fewer stressors and more frequently consi dered health to be determined by external factors than patients who we re treated successfully. The two groups could not be differentiated wi th regard to anxiety and depression. Results are interpreted with rega rd to the prediction of treatment outcome.