Functional and oral health–related quality-of-life outcomes 12 months after disc repositioning in women with refractory bilateral disc displacement without reduction

Purpose To evaluate longitudinal changes in oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL), pain, and mandibular function over 12 months after temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc repositioning with mini-anchor fixation in women with refractory bilateral disc displacement without reduction (DDwoR). Methods In this prospective cohort study, 34 women with bilateral DDwoR confirmed by Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), refractory to at least 6 months of conservative therapy, were assessed at baseline (T0), 1 month (T1), and 12 months (T2). Outcomes included the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), visual analog scale for pain (VAS-P), Helkimo Clinical Dysfunction Index (DI), and mandibular mobility measurements. Longitudinal changes were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and linear mixed-effects models. Results Pain (VAS-P) decreased from 7.6 to 0.7, OHIP-14 from 29.4 to 7.0, and DI from 4.1 to 1.4 by 12 months (all p < 0.001). Reductions in OHIP-14 and VAS-P exceeded the predefined MCIDs (OHIP-14, ≥ 4.0 points; VAS-P, ≥ 2.0 points on the 0–10 scale). Mandibular mobility also improved significantly over time. Age-group analyses were exploratory; although an overall time × age interaction was observed for OHIP-14, no significant between-group differences were found at postoperative time points. Conclusion TMJ disc repositioning with mini-anchor fixation was associated with significant improvements in OHRQoL, pain, and function in women with refractory bilateral DDwoR over 12 months. Clinical trial number Not applicable.