Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adolescents and its relationship to gender. The sample comprised 217 subjects, aged 12 to 18. The subjective symptoms and clinical signs of TMD were evaluated, using, respectively, a self-report questionnaire and the Craniomandibular Index, which has 2 subscales; the Dysfunction Index and the Palpation Index. The results of muscle tenderness showed great variability (0.9-32.25%). In relation to the temporomandibular joint, tenderness of the superior, dorsal and lateral condyle regions occurred in 10.6%, 10.6% and 7.83%, respectively, of the sample. Joint sound during opening was present in 19.8% of the sample and during closing in 14.7%. The most prevalent symptoms were joint sounds (26.72%) and headache (21.65%). There was no statistical difference between genders (p > 0.05), except for the tenderness of the lateral pterygoid muscles, which presented more prevalence in girls. In conclusion, clinical signs and symptoms of TMD can occur in adolescents; however, gender influence was not perceived.

Temporomandibular disorders and oral habits in high-school adolescents: a public health issue?

“…However, their sample was young adults around 20 years old. On the other hand, Bonjardim et al 21 also found these signals in adolescents, 26.72% for joint noises and 21.65% for headaches, corroborating the findings of this study which were 25.6% and 20.9% , respectively. Other studies have also found joint noises 21 and headaches 22 as prevalent symptoms, being joint noises the most common one.…”

Avaliação de sinais e sintomas da disfunção temporomandibular e sua relação com a postura cervical

“…A DTM pode acometer indivíduos de várias faixas etárias, incluindo adolescentes; porém, de acordo com a literatura, há um pico de prevalência entre os 35 e 40 anos 15,16 . No presente estudo, foi observada uma média de 34,7 ± 14,5.…”

Anxiety/depression and orofacial myofacial disorders as factors associated with TMD in children

“…It is important to consider that adolescents experience many developmental challenges as they strive to break away from their parents, become independent, and establish their own identities. 1 However, childhood involves a setting filled with the burden of learning activities, which may contribute to a child's high level of anxiety. In the present study, considering TMD as the dependent variable, children with anxiety were about 18 times more likely to develop TMD than those without anxiety, confirming the role of psychological factors in TMD reported previously.…”

“…8,9 Thus, clinical examination directly focusing on orofacial myofunctional conditions is important in TMD studies. 9 Functional disorders of the stomatognathic system may occur in children 1,10 but are infrequently diagnosed and may consequently result in TMD. In this way, awareness of the early signs and symptoms of TMD-focusing on the assessment of masticatory muscles, the TMJ, and associated structures-may reveal if symptoms are TMD in origin.…”

“…1 Several studies have shown that functional disruption of the masticatory system in children and adolescents is common, and its occurrence increases with age.…”