Reproducibility of response to a questionnaire on symptoms of masticatory dysfunction

The aim of the present investigation was to check the reproducibility of answers to multiple-choice questions used in a questionnaire. The questionnaire was concerned with symptoms in patients with dysfunction of the masticatory system. Five main types of questions were tested by repetition within 1 week by 98 patients. Comparisons were also made between questionnaire data and clinical findings. The interval between the questionnaire and the clinical examination was 1 week. The best reproducibility was found for answers to a question about previous joint radiography, which was the simplest question with the fewest alternatives. The second best was found for a question about the duration of the symptoms referable to the masticatory system. The poorest reproducibility was noted for a question about masticatory muscle pain. The comparison between the questionnaire data and clinical findings showed the best agreement for joint sounds. The reported pain symptoms and palpatory tenderness seem to be different entities.