Chewing ability as a parameter for evaluating the disability of patients with temporomandibular disorders

Citation
H. Kurita et al., Chewing ability as a parameter for evaluating the disability of patients with temporomandibular disorders, J ORAL REH, 28(5), 2001, pp. 463-465
Citations number
12
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Dentistry/Oral Surgery & Medicine
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION
ISSN journal
0305-182X → ACNP
Volume
28
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
463 - 465
Database
ISI
SICI code
0305-182X(200105)28:5<463:CAAAPF>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Restoration of chewing ability is an important aspect of the treatment for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). However, too little attention has been paid to it. We have used questionnaire to evaluate and score the chewing ab ility of TMD patients. The questionnaire includes 19 kinds of food and a ch ewing task. The patient was asked if she/he experiences difficulty in enjoy ing eating. The aim of this study was to evaluate correlations between scor e of chewing ability (SCA) and other symptoms/signs of TMD. Four hundred an d seventy-three consecutive TMD patients were evaluated for SCA and other s ymptoms/signs including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, TMJ and muscle tenderness, TMJ noise (clicking and crepitus), and maximum mouth opening. T he relationship between SCA and other symptoms/signs were analysed by multi ple regression analysis. Score of chewing ability correlated significantly with TMJ pain and mouth opening capacity but not with TMJ noise and muscle tenderness. Age was a background factor but sex was not. The result of this `study suggests that SCA correlated with dysfunction of the TMD patients. This method could be used to evaluate the ability of chewing in assessment of TMD.