Are Outcomes of Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy Influenced by Central Sensitization?

A proportion of subjects with internal derangements of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may have a central sensitization disorder that may affect pain perception after surgery. This study aims to estimate the association between fibromyalgianess (FMness) score, a summed score of the Widespread Pain Index (WPI) and Symptom Severity Sore (SSS), and outcomes following TMJ arthroscopy.

A retrospective cohort study including individuals who received arthroscopy for TMJ internal derangement at Michigan Medicine between 2011 and 2020 was performed. A predictor variable, FMness score, was assigned via the sum of WPI and SSS. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed. Linear-mixed effects models were used to analyze 6 different outcomes, each in their own model: pain, jaw functional limitation scale (JFLS), JFLS-mobility domain, pain-related disability, comfortable maximum interincisal opening, and active maximum interincisal opening. Covariance structure was selected based on null model fit separately for each outcome.

Thirty-one subjects were included in the study sample. Twenty-eight subjects were female. Average age was 45.9 years. Bivariate analysis demonstrated that subject's FMness score was not correlated with pain (b = 0.03 [-0.10, 0.17] P = .59) or JFLS score (b = 1.00 [-.80, 2.81] P = .27). However, subject's FMness score was significant for predicting JFLS-mobility domain score (b = .61, [0.05, 1.18] P = .04).

A greater extent of central sensitization was associated with lower comfortable mouth opening after surgery, greater limitations in opening wide enough to eat various foods (higher JFLS-mobility scores), and higher pain-related disability. Future studies with larger sample sizes and reconstructive TMJ operations such as total TMJ arthroplasty may help clarify the impact of SSS and WPI scores on outcomes of TMJ surgery.