Al-Rafidain Dental Journal

Abstract

This research was to evaluate a new assessment of mouth
opening limitation in myogenic temporomandibular disorder
(TMD) patients. The suggested assessment was accomplished
by calculating the opening ratio (OR) which depends on
the ratio between maximum comfortable mouth opening and
maximum assisted mouth opening.
There was a remarked significant difference in the OR
between the TMD patients and control groups. There was no
significant relationship between OR with age or sex in both
groups. A significant reversible correlation between OR with
number of tender muscles and temporomandibular joint tenderness
was found.
It could be concluded from this research that the OR has
diagnostic value in TMD patients, but unlike other measures,
as it independent on age and gender.