Background

There is a need for clinical tests that can reveal intra-articular conditions in the temporomandibular joint to be able to give proper treatment. The Dental stick test, where participants bite with their molars on a wooden stick, is a pain provocation test for the temporomandibular joint.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore if the Dental stick test can be used to reveal intra-articular conditions in the temporomandibular joint in persons with long-lasting painful disorders.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Materials and methods

Forty persons with pain in one or both temporomandibular areas were examined using the Dental stick test. The participants were between 18 and 70 years, and had 65 symptomatic joints. Sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negative responses, and area under the curve were calculated for the Dental stick test with MRI and/or CT as reference standards. The phi-correlation coefficient (phi) was used to measure the correlation between the Dental stick test and intra-articular findings.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity for the Dental stick test, revealing intra-articular findings, were 0.62 and1.0 respectively. False positive and false negative responses were 0 and 0.41 respectively, and the area under the curve 81% with p < 0.001. The correlation between a positive Dental stick test and intra-articular findings was not significant (phi = 0.60).

Conclusions

When the Dental stick test is positive, intra-articular findings will most probably be present on MRI/CT, but the test alone cannot reveal intra-articular conditions in persons with long-lasting painful temporomandibular disorder.

中文翻译：

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牙签测试 - 有助于揭示颞下颌关节紊乱症患者的关节内状况？

背景

需要能够揭示颞下颌关节内关节内状况的临床测试，以便能够提供适当的治疗。牙棒测试，参与者用他们的臼齿咬在木棒上，是颞下颌关节的疼痛刺激测试。

客观的

本研究的目的是探索牙棒测试是否可用于揭示长期疼痛疾病患者颞下颌关节的关节内状况。

设计

横截面。

材料和方法

使用牙棒测试检查了 40 名在一个或两个颞下颌区域有疼痛的人。参与者年龄在 18 至 70 岁之间，有 65 个有症状的关节。以 MRI 和/或 CT 作为参考标准，计算牙科棒试验的灵敏度、特异性、假阳性和假阴性反应以及曲线下面积。phi 相关系数 (phi) 用于测量 Dental Stick 测试与关节内发现之间的相关性。

结果

显示关节内发现的 Dental Stick 试验的敏感性和特异性分别为 0.62 和 1.0。假阳性和假阴性反应分别为 0 和 0.41，曲线下面积为 81%，p < 0.001。牙棒试验阳性与关节内发现之间的相关性不显着（phi = 0.60）。

结论

当 Dental Stick 试验呈阳性时，MRI/CT 上很可能会出现关节内发现，但单独的测试不能揭示患有长期疼痛性颞下颌关节疾病的人的关节内状况。