Applicability of the Modified Brief Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders in a Population-Based Study: A Retrospective Evaluation

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common conditions impairing quality of life. While the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) are the international standard, its complexity and time requirements limit feasibility in primary care and large-scale population studies.

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a modified brief DC/TMD (bDC/TMD) Axis I protocol relative to DC/TMD reference standard in a population-based cohort and to explore the performance of an ultra-brief protocol excluding movement-evoked pain for myalgia and arthralgia.

Data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 1767) were utilized. Participants underwent clinical examinations based on original DC/TMD criteria. The bDC/TMD diagnoses were derived retrospectively by excluding non-contributory items while retaining temple headache confirmation. Sensitivity, specificity and Cohen's kappa (κ) were calculated using the full DC/TMD protocol as the reference standard.

The modified bDC/TMD demonstrated excellent agreement for pain-related TMDs (sensitivity 0.81-0.87, specificity > 0.99; κ = 0.88 for myalgia, 0.89 for arthralgia and 0.89 for headache attributed to TMD). Agreement for joint-related TMDs was lower: degenerative joint disease (κ = 0.70) and disc displacement with reduction (κ = 0.44). For the ultra-brief version, agreement remained high for myalgia (κ = 0.86) and arthralgia (κ = 0.84).

The modified bDC/TMD protocol is a promising screening tool for painful TMDs in population-based studies. However, it has limited accuracy for joint-related conditions. The ultra-brief approach shows potential for efficient use in population-based research.