Inter-examiner reliability of physical assessment methods for assessing temporomandibular disorders

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether non-expert examiners could reliably use the physical assessment methods described in the Research Diagnostic Criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD). Screening examinations were performed on patients with self-reported TMD symptoms by two examiners using techniques specified in Axis I of RDC/TMD diagnostic criteria. Both examinations and diagnostic categorization were carried out independently and blindly; reliability of the examiners was tested with appropriate parametric and non-parametric techniques. Assignment of diagnostic categories based on examination data showed levels of reliability ranging from acceptable to good. Concordance for diagnostic signs was good for determining opening click, closing click, and coarse crepitus, while concordance for determining protrusive click and joint space pain categories was poor. Using the examination and diagnosis procedures specified in the RDC/TMD, conscientious nonexpert examiners can assign diagnostic labels to the major subcategories of TMD with a satisfactory level of reliability.