Effects on Pain and Function of Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Patients With Painful Disc Displacement With Reduction

Study Design: The study adopted a single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial approach. Adults with disc displacement with reduction clinical diagnosis, pain and loss of function were eligible for inclusion.

Intervention: Patients in the study were randomized into three groups, 25 subjects to the manual therapy and therapeutic exercise group, 25 to the therapeutic exercise group and 25 to the no intervention group. Subjects were excluded if there was presence of surgical history, dentistry treatment and use of medication. The dependent variables were the presence of clicking, TMJ function, cervical disability, pain, and range of motion of the TMJ. Subjects in every group were assessed after four weeks of intervention and after eight weeks.

Inclusion criteria

• Disc displacement with reduction diagnosis according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders; in the last 30 days, any TMJ noise present during the exam or clicking detected with palpation during at least one of three repetitions of jaw opening, closing, protrusion, or laterotrusion movements.
• equal or greater than 30 mm on the VAS scale
• Age is greater than or equal to18 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Participants were excluded if they had received interventions of TMJ surgery or TMJ steroid injections in the previous month, a rheumatoid diagnosis, neurological or psychiatric diseases, or pregnancy.