Features of Temporomandibular Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of clinical features of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients with fibromyalgia. The test group (FMG) consisted of 40 women with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to the control group of 40 healthy subjects using the research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD). The variables were compared using Fisher's exact test and a Mann-Whitney test. Facial pain was reported by 85% of the FM group, and 77.5% were diagnosed with myofascial TMD. Muscle pain during jaw movements, daytime bruxism/clenching, and limited mouth opening were significantly higher in the test group. There was no difference between groups in: (1) joint noises; (2) sleep bruxism/clenching; and (3) excursive or non-excursive movements. Classic signs of TMD, such as joint noise and self-reporting of clenching at night, are not associated with fibromyalgia syndrome as demonstrated in the current study. However, the self-reported daytime parafunctions, muscle pain in jaw movements, and limited mouth opening are features of the patients in the current study. This study revealed specific muscle involvement of TMD is also presence in FM.

Reduced thermal threshold in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

“…The increased activity of peripheral nociceptors can then lead to the development of central sensitisation and expansion of the receptive fields of second order nociceptive neurons, amplifying the nociceptive signals and evoking pain even outside the area of clinical pain . This process plays a remarkable role in the presence and persistence of other chronic pain conditions such as migraine, tension‐type headache , fibromyalgia and neck pain .…”

“…According to the Research Criteria for temporomandibular disorders, TMDs can be divided into three general groups according of the aetiology of the pain: arthrogenic, myogenic and mixed . These disorders are frequently associated with other chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia , headache , sleep disorders , myofascial syndrome and neck pain .…”

The (putative) pathological impact of fibromyalgia on the orofacial system

“…In Brazilië zijn recent 3 interessante onderzoeken verricht om te bezien of temporomandibulaire disfunctie inderdaad meer voorkomt bij patiënten met fi bromyalgie dan bij de gezonde bevolking (da Silva et al, 2012;Fraga et al, 2012;Pimentel et al, 2013). Onder 25 patiënten met fi bromyalgie werd statistisch signifi cant vaker temporomandibulaire disfunctie gediagnosticeerd dan onder 25 gezonde mensen die naar geslacht en leeft ijd in balans waren met de fi bromyalgiepatiënten.…”

“…Ook met gebruik van RDC/TMD werd onder 40 vrouwen met fi bromyalgie en 40 gezonde vrouwen gevonden dat temporomandibulaire disfunctie meer voorkwam bij de vrouwen met fi bromyalgie dan bij de gezonde vrouwen. Statistisch signifi cante verschillen tussen de groepen ten nadele van de vrouwen met fi bromyalgie werden aangetoond voor zelfgerapporteerde aangezichtspijn en objectief vastgestelde spierpijn tijdens bewegingen van de mandibula, kaakklemmen overdag en beperkte mondopening (Pimentel et al, 2013).…”

The effects of a global postural exercise program on temporomandibular disorder

“…Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of disorders with signs and symptoms that include joint noises, such as clicking and crepitus (grating), pain in the masticatory muscles, limited jaw movements, craniofacial pain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain 1 . TMD may involve alterations in the cervical roots, leading to pain in the cervical spine, craniofacial pain, and decreased mouth-opening range of motion (ROM) [2][3][4] .…”