Correlation between skin surface temperature over masticatory muscles and pain intensity in women with myogenous temporomandibular disorder

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pain is a common clinical manifestation in individuals with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The literature reports changes in microcirculation in this condition. The aim of the present study was to correlate skin surface temperature at the central point of the masticatory muscles with pain intensity in women with myogenous TMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to divide 40 female university students into four groups: control group (n = 10), mild pain group (n = 10), moderate pain group (n = 10) and severe pain group (n = 10). Infrared thermography was used to assess the masticatory muscles. RESULTS: No significant correlations were found between pain intensity and skin surface temperature over the left masseter (p = 0.368), right masseter (p = 0.618), left anterior temporalis (p = 0.293) and right anterior temporalis (p = 0.922) muscles. No correlations were found between pain intensity and asymmetry of the masseter (p = 0.375) and anterior temporalis (p = 0.090) muscles. Moreover, no significant difference in skin surface temperature (p > 0.05) was found among the different groups. CONCLUSION: Pain intensity in women with myogenous TMD was not associated with skin surface temperature at the central point of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles.