Prevalence of temporomandibular dysfunction and pain in adult general practice patients

• Published in: Acta odontologica Scandinavica Vol. 72; no. 8; p. 585
• Main Authors: Adèrn, Bengt, Stenvinkel, Christer, Sahlqvist, Lotta, Tegelberg, Åke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude to Health; Facial Pain - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement - methods; Prevalence; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Sex Factors; Sweden - epidemiology; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - epidemiology; Young Adult; Sweden; effectiveness; TMD pain; prevalence; acceptance; general dentistry
• ISSN: 1502-3850
• DOI: 10.3109/00016357.2013.878390

To analyse the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders and related pain (TMD-pain) among adult recall patients in general dental practice. From November 2006 to September 2008, all adults attending a Swedish Public Dental Service (PDS) clinic for recall examination were asked two standardized questions about temporomandibular pain and dysfunction. Mouth-opening capacity was measured. The responses to the questions and mouth-opening capacity were combined to give a TMD-pain score, on a scale of 0-3. The patients' acceptance of their TMD condition was also noted. The subjects comprised 2837 adults (53% females, 47% men). Of the total sample, 4.9% reported a TMD-pain score of 1-3. The gender difference was significant: women predominated (p < 0.003). Forty-three per cent of those with TMD-pain scores of 1-3 (36% men, 47% women) considered that the condition warranted treatment, especially those registering a pain score (significant difference between pain and dysfunction groups, p < 0.000). The TMD-pain score shows promise as a useful instrument for detecting and recording TMD-pain. The prevalence of TMD disclosed in the study is high enough to be considered a public health concern. Most of the subjects with lower scores on the TMD-pain scale accepted their condition as not severe enough to require treatment.