This critical summary of a systematic review published in 2010 was prepared under the auspices of the American Dental Association Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry.
The original review authors were looking at the relationship between oral health-related quality of life (OHQOL) and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).
The critical summary noted that the review question could have been more clearly defined and more methodological details could have been provided in several areas. Because of variability between the studies a numerical estimate of the impact of TMDs on OHQOL was not conducted so a narrative summary was provided.
While the original review authors noted that TMDs had a negative impact on OHQOL the summariser notes that the quality of evidence supporting this is difficult assess owing to methodological weakness in the review.
Go to abstract of original review
with people who suffer from TMDs, we were all very struck by this qualitative research :“Well, I felt terrible, especially when my GP [general medical practitioner]…told me I was a timewaster…” , “Always in the corner, you know, at a party taking painkillers and drinking water rather than having fun”. But when a practitioner made a diagnosis, a sufferer commented “I mean you had a name for it and you knew you weren’t alone with it so it eased your mind…”.
Living with uncertainty: temporomandibular disorders
Durham J, Steele JG et al. J Dent Res 2010; 89:827-830