Evaluation of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders and Related Factors in Patients Referring to Dental School of Isfahan Islamic Azad University in 2019

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) encompass several entities with different etiologies. Considering the high prevalence of TMD and the effect of this complication on the development of orofacial complications, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of TMD and its associated factors in patients referring to the Department of Prosthodontics of the Dental School of Isfahan Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 202 patients for TMD evaluation. Standardized checklists and paraclinical measures were used. SPSS was used with chi-square test, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to perform the statistical analysis with the level of significance set at P<0.05.

The prevalence of TMD in 202 patients was 43.6%. The average age of TMD patients was significantly higher than that of people without TMD (P=0.012). There was a significant difference between the two groups (with and without TMD) in the history of maxillofacial trauma (P=0.014) and restricted mouth opening (P=0.02). The Dawson classification, maxillofacial surgery, orthodontic treatment (P=0.42), and parafunctional habits (P=0.46) were not significantly different between the two groups.

Since the frequency of TMD is remarkably high, dentists should look for signs of TMD on a routine schedule to minimize the long-term effects of this disorder. There was no significant relationship between TMD and the related factors, except for the trauma. It is recommended to study the etiology of this disease considering its recognized complications.