Temporomandibular disorder clinical practice teaching through case-based learning with the symptom "limited mouth opening": a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate efficacy of case-based learning (CBL) focusing on the limited mouth opening temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptom.

METHODS

Thirty dental resident trainees from the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) were enrolled in the study. The control group (n = 15; 2021-2022) received conventional CBL sessions focusing on TMD while completing standard clinical rotations. The experimental group (n = 15, 2023-2024) experienced CBL that focused exclusively on Limited Mouth Opening integrated with clinical training. Post-intervention assessments at 2 months included: (1) theoretical exams, (2) clinical competency evaluations (history-taking, imaging interpretation), and (3) validated satisfaction surveys. Analyses utilized SPSS 26.0 with χ²/Mann-Whitney U tests (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

Both groups exhibited comparable theoretical knowledge (P = 0.35). The experimental group demonstrated superior clinical performance in history synthesis and temporomandibular joint imaging analysis. Post-training satisfaction surveys administered to both groups revealed that the experimental cohort demonstrated significantly higher mean scores (all p < 0.05) than controls across four core competencies: clinical reasoning, literature utilization, clinical documentation quality, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

CONCLUSION

Integrating "Limited Mouth Opening" CBL with clinical training in the practical teaching of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) can enhance residents' diagnostic acumen, cultivate multidisciplinary competencies in TMD management, and optimise evidence-based pedagogical outcomes through structured clinical reasoning development.