Affiliation:
1. Department of Oral Function and Fixed Prosthodontics Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo Chiba Japan
2. Section for Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
3. Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON) Aarhus Denmark
4. Faculty of Odontology Malmø University Malmö Sweden
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundThe evaluation of muscle pain and sensitivity by manual palpation is an important part of the clinical examination in patients with myalgia. However, the effects of clinical experience and visual feedback on palpation of the masticatory muscles with or without a palpometer are not known.ObjectiveTo estimate the effects of clinical experience and visual feedback on the accuracy of palpation in standardized settings.MethodsThirty‐two dentists (age 35 ± 11 years) classified as either specialists (n = 16) or generalists (n = 16) participated in this experiment. All dentists were instructed to target force levels of 500‐ or 1000‐gf, as determined on an electronic scale using either standardized palpometers or manual palpation (MP). All dentists participated in four different tests: MP, MP with visual feedback (MPVF), palpometer (PAL) and PAL with visual feedback (PALVF). Actual force values for each type of palpation from 0 to 2, 2 to 5 and 0 to 5 s were analysed by calculating target force level.ResultsThe relative differences during 2–5 and 0–5 s with 1000 gf were significantly lower for generalists than for specialists (p < .05). In generalists and specialists, the coefficients of variation and the relative differences during 2–5 s were significantly lower for PAL and PALVF than for MP (p < .05).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the use of a palpometer, but not clinical experience with palpation of masticatory muscles, increases the accuracy of palpation, and ≥2 s of palpation with a palpometer is optimal for masticatory muscles.
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