Classification and clinical evaluation of Temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction

Clinical course and treatment outcome of 139 consecutive cases

Abstract

One hundred thirty-nine consecutive cases of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and dysfunction were retrospectively studied.
First, TMJ pain and dysfunction was clinically classified into type I-IV based on the criteria proposed by Japanese Society for TMJ (1987).
Type I represent the masticatory muscle disorders, type II; pain and dysfunction grupe, type III; internal derangement, and type IV; degenerative joint desease. Diagnosed group of patients were treated specifically in each category. Surgery was only indicated in type III with closed locking patients who were refractory to initial non-surgical treatment.
Pre-and post-teatment of clinical findings were compared by means of subjective and objective evaluation using questionaire.
Success rates in each group were 85.4% in type III with closed lock, 84.2% in type II, 77.3% in type III with click, 75.0% in type III with intermittent lock, 64.7% in type I, and 57.4% in type IV.
These results indicated that both masticatory muscle disordes and degenerative joint deseases had low responses in general for conventional non-surgical treatment.