Al. Peterson et al., HABIT REVERSAL TREATMENT OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS - A PILOT INVESTIGATION, Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 24(1), 1993, pp. 49-55
This study evaluated the use of behavior therapy to reduce teeth clenc
hing and grinding as a treatment for temporomandibular disorders (TMD)
. Habit reversal was used to treat three adults with TMD using a multi
ple baseline across subjects design. The results indicated significant
improvement for two of the three subjects including decreased self-re
ported pain, decreased pain upon muscle palpation, and increased maxim
um mandibular opening. However, temporomandibular joint sounds were in
creased. Habit reversal appears to be more effective in reducing the m
yofascial pain symptoms of TMD than in improving temporomandibular joi
nt functioning.