Three year follow-up TMJ patients: success rates and silent periods

A telephone survey to assess treatment success was conducted 2-3 years after treatment of patients suffering from TMJ syndrome. Pre-treatment silent period durations were compared among groups of patients determined by their response to the telephone survey. The short-term (immediately post-treatment) improvement rate was 81%. Some 35% of patients were completely cured. There was no statistically significant difference in mean silent period duration among the groups of patients that achieved complete, partial or no relief of symptoms. The long-term (2-3 years after treatment) persistence of improvement rate was 72%. There was also no statistical difference in the mean silent period duration between those patients who had experienced persistence of success and those who reported either no relief or relapse of symptoms.