Prevalence among adolescents in Bergen, Western Norway, of temporomandibular disorders according to the DC/TMD criteria and examination protocol

Abstract

Objective. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) amongst adolescents and to contrast the prevalence of TMD according to the DC/TMD clinical examination protocol versus the prevalence of TMD pain according to two screening questions. Material and methods. Two hundred and ten adolescents living in the county of Bergen, Norway, were offered an additional examination for TMD in connection with their regular dental check-up appointment. Five dental clinics were selected with differing socio-economic patient populations, as reflected by stratification of average levels of DMFT, and an equal number of girls and boys were invited to participate. The participants answered two screening questions for TMD pain followed by a clinical examination according to the DC/TMD protocol by five calibrated examiners. Results. Acceptable calibration results were obtained. Approximately 80% of eligible participants consented to partake. According to the criteria of DC/TMD, the prevalence of TMD amongst the study participants was 11.9%, with a peak at 16 years of age. According to the self-reported screening questions for TMD pain, 7.2 % responded positively. Only 7 participants with a TMD diagnosis established according to the DC/TMD clinical examination protocol reported also TMD pain based on answering the two screening questions. Conclusion. The prevalence of TMD is higher for girls than for boys and the prevalence of TMD established according to the DC/TMD criteria was higher than the prevalence of TMD pain estimated by use of screening questions for self-reported pain.

Assessing prevalence of temporomandibular disorders among university students: A questionnaire study

“…This is similar to the results done in the previous studies by Graue et al .,[10] Solberg et al .,[14] Klineberg et al .,[15] Shiau and Chang. [16] This high prevalence among females could be due to the physiologic uniqueness such as regular hormonal variations, different characteristics of the connective tissue, and muscular structure.…”

“…[789] Graue et al . [10] stated that girls were more prone for developing TMDs usually peaking at 16 years age.…”

Prevalence of Painful Temporomandibular Disorders and Correlation to Lifestyle Factors among Adolescents in Norway

“…The prevalence of TMD-P in Rogaland County was 7%. Another Norwegian study ( n = 167) found a prevalence of 7.2% among adolescents in the city of Bergen based on the TMD-P questions, but the DC/TMD criteria for TMD indicated a prevalence of 11.9% [13]. The findings of the present study are in accordance with a Swedish study from 1999 that included 862 adolescents (12 to 18 years old), with a prevalence of TMD-P of 7% [11].…”

“…Several other studies have found similar ratios, ranging from 2 : 1 up to 9 : 1 [10–13, 19, 20, 26, 27]. This study did not find such differences at ages 13 and 14, while other studies did not find differences before puberty [7, 28].…”

“…Among children and adolescents, girls have a significantly higher prevalence than boys [11], but the prevalence is lower than for adults. In Norway, only one epidemiological study on TMD among adolescents can be found in the literature [13]. The study used two protocols to estimate the prevalence of TMD (11.9%) and pain related to TMD (7.2%) in the same population [13].…”