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Tactile trigeminal region acuity in temporomandibular disorders: A reliability and cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
La Touche Roy,
CuencaMartínez Ferran,
SusoMartí Luis,
GarcíaVicente Ana,
NavarroMorales Beatriz,
ParisAlemany Alba
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1111/joor.12870
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , orofacial pain , physical therapy , somatosensory system , reliability (semiconductor) , audiology , surgery , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , psychiatry
Abstract Background Two‐point discrimination (2‐PD) is a valuable test for measuring tactile acuity that provides relevant information about cortical reorganisation and somatosensory function. Objectives The main objectives of the present study were to assess intra‐ and interexaminer reliability of the 2‐PD test in the trigeminal region in asymptomatic individuals and only intra‐examiner reliability in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The secondary objective was to observe the correlations of the 2‐PD test with regard to pain intensity and psychological and disability variables. Methods Intra‐ and interexaminer reliability of 2‐PD in the trigeminal region was assessed in 40 asymptomatic individuals and 54 patients with TMD. Each clinician received training in the assessment of 2‐PD using an esthesiometer and following a standardised protocol for the three branches of trigeminal nerve. Results In the asymptomatic participants, interexaminer (intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC .64‐.88) and test‐retest (ICC .70‐.87) values were obtained. Given similar test‐retest values were shown in the group of patients with TMD (ICC .72‐.86), the reliability were considered good‐moderate. Statistically significant differences ( P < .001) were obtained between the asymptomatic participants and the patients with TMD regarding the mean values from trials of the three trigeminal branch measurements, with a large effect size. Conclusion Reliability of the 2‐PD test was considered good‐moderate. Patients with TMD showed greater distances in the 2‐PD test, suggesting that tactile acuity in the trigeminal region is impaired in patients with TMD. Assessment of tactile acuity with 2‐PD test in patients with TMD should be considered clinically.