Condylar motion analysis - a controlled, blinded clinical study on the interindividual reproducibility of standardized evaluation of computer- recorded condylar movements

Objectives: The present study investigated to what extent systematic evaluation of electronic condylar motion recordings based on the Diagnostic Criteria for Dysfunction (DCD) leads to reproducible results in different examiners. Methods The study was based on the anonymized condylar motion recordings of 20 patients. These were recruited consecutively from the examinations in a center specializing in diagnosing and managing craniomandibular/temporomandibular disorders (CMD/TMD). Four trained practitioners independently evaluated the identical movement recordings of all patients after calibration. The evaluation was based on the previously published evaluation system. The CMDtrace software was used to record the results. The findings were then compared, and the matching values were determined (Fleiss' Kappa). Results The evaluation, according to Fleiss' Kappa, showed that the consistency of the assessment of the findings among the examiners is excellent (mean value 0.88, p < 0.00001). Conclusion The study shows that calibrated dentists achieved reproducible results using this evaluation system and computer-assisted reporting. Clinical Relevance Good reproducibility confirms the reliability of clinical motion analysis. The ambiguities uncovered and eliminated in the study should avoid misunderstandings in the future. Both factors establish the prerequisites for applying condylar motion analysis in clinical practice.