Abstract
We thank Yanez et al for their constructive critique. While multiple methods for estimating disability weights (DWs) exist, as acknowledged in our article, the 12-item Short Form health survey mapping we used is an established approach. The resulting DWs are comparable to those for related conditions such as tension-type headache and toothache (Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network 2020), validating them as reasonable estimates based on the available evidence.
Our approach represents a pragmatic and responsible use of existing data, providing the first DWs for the field of orofacial pain. One alternative, using a tradeoff-based valuation, would require approximately 800 participants (Attema et al 2013). Our work therefore serves as a crucial first step, establishing a foundation that can inform future, more resource-intensive studies.
Furthermore, our ongoing work reinforces the validity of the 3Q/TMD instrument used for our estimates. A submitted manuscript shows substantial overlap between 3Q/TMD content and expert-derived lay descriptions of painful temporomandibular disorders (Lövgren et al, unpublished data, 2025). This supports the tool’s continued use in epidemiological studies and strengthens the foundation for future research, which should incorporate granular data to distinguish condition classification and severity.
We welcome the growing engagement in the field. Our work provides a necessary starting point, and we believe the overarching goal to include orofacial pain in the Global Burden of Disease estimates is now on track. We encourage continued collaborative efforts to advance the recognition and measurement of orofacial pain as a significant global health issue.
Author Contributions
A. Lövgren, contributed to conception and design, drafted the manuscript; P. Liv, J. Durham, D.A.G. Goncalves, F.P. Kapos, S.F. Kothari, M. Drangsholt, C.C. Peck, C.M. Visscher, L. Ong, P. Svensson, contributed to conception and design, critically revised the manuscript. All authors gave their final approval and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Justin Durham is the co-director and a shareholder in JawSpace.com.
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Data Availability
Not applicable.