Evaluation of temporomandibular disorder and oral parafunction prevalence in dental assistant students: A cross-sectional descriptive study

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine the prevalence of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and oral parafunctions in dental assistant students and examine the effects of sex and years of education. Materials and Methods: One-hundred five dental assistant students were included in the study. The Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) was used to evaluate the presence of TMD in individuals, and the Oral Habit Checklist (OBC) was used to evaluate oral parafunctions. Results: Sixty-eight individuals (64.8%) had TMD at some level. It was determined that 46 of the females, who constituted the majority of the participants, had mild-TMD, which was significantly different from the males (p<0.001). According to the OBC results, oral parafunctions were associated with TMD, with low-moderate significant correlations (p <0.05). Conclusion: Early diagnosis of temporomandibular joint problems with various questionaries in the university, especially in the young population, is vital in terms of disease prognosis and will prevent future complications.