Assessment of Attributes Germane to TMD

This paper focuses on the attributes likely to be considered when clinicians make a thorough assessment of patients with TMD myalgia or arthralgia. In principle, such attributes might be germane to TMD because they are a contributor to TMD (ie, as risk factors for onset, persistence, or aggravation of the condition), a consequence of TMD, or both. This study used validated measures of eight sets of attributes that are germane to TMD:

Hereafter, three labels are used for the above measures: (1) “measures germane to TMD” for all 22 measures combined; (2) “DC/TMD–specific measures” for the 10 measures that are part of the DC/TMD examination procedures (pain-free jaw opening, maximum assisted and unassisted jaw opening, familiar and nonfamiliar masticatory pain by motion and by palpation, and TMJ function by history); and (3) “TMD-relevant measures” for the remaining 12 of the 22 measures.