TEMPOROMANDIBULAR MUSCLE AND JOINT DISORDERS: PROGRESS IN RESEARCH WITH NIDCR'S TMJ IMPLANT REGISTRY AND REPOSITORY

摘要

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's TMJ Implant Registry and Repository (NIDCR's TIRR) is a national research registry-repository established to collect clinical information and biological specimens on temporomandibular muscle and joint disorders (TMJD) patients (with and without temporomandibular joint implants) and controls. NIDCR's TIRR has two divisions: The Registry and the Repository, responsible for recruiting and archiving the clinical and the biological data. One thousand and nine subjects (TMJD patients and controls) are registered in the NIDCR's TIRR. They were invited to complete a self-report questionnaire and a calibrated examination following research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) protocols. Six hundred fifty-five samples of blood and saliva were collected. The overall purpose of the NIDCR's efforts in this regard is the development of a sufficiently extensive TMJD registry and repository to conduct intramural research and facilitate extramural research on TMJD. The ultimate goal is to enhance the understanding of clinical and biological factors related to TMJD. Internal and external validity are considered major concerns in NIDCR's TIRR. In this chapter, various types of selection bias and manners on how to prevent and control them are discussed. Interpretation of the data and concept of causality also has been considered. Determining appropriately which biological and clinical risk factors predispose a person to develop TMJD, or to develop a more severe and dysfunctional chronic TMJD pain, is essential for providing insight into TMJD prevention and treatment.