Observational study finds unchanged chewing performance after therapy in temporomandibular muscle disorder, indicating two-colour gum tests lack sensitivity in mild impairment.
Key Points
To compare masticatory function using a two-colour chewing-gum test before and after treatment for masticatory muscle-related temporomandibular disorders.
Recruited 21 patients with masticatory muscle disorder diagnosed via Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) and 21 TMD-free controls.
Assessed pain intensity using a visual-analogue scale (VAS), maximum mouth opening (MMO), and functional limitation with the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale-8 (JFLS-8).
Evaluated masticatory function pre- and post-treatment using a validated two-colour chewing-gum bolus-kneading mixing test.
Chewing function demonstrated no statistically significant difference before versus after treatment within the experimental group (p = .715).
Masticatory performance in patients did not differ significantly from healthy controls either before treatment (p = .489) or after treatment (p = .890).
Masticatory function showed no statistically significant correlation with VAS pain, MMO, or JFLS-8 scores before or after intervention.