TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDERS; ITS PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS

Objectives: The  objective  of this study  is to evaluate frequency  of temporomandibular joint disorder and its distribution in different age groups among male versus female population.

Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Setting: Shahina Jamil Teaching Hospital, Frontier Medical and Dental College, Abbottabad.

Period: December 2019 to May 2020.

Material & Method: The study sample comprises of total 140 patients with TMD, meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fonseca’s questionnaire and Anamnestic Index were used to assess the subjective response and severity of TMD symptoms. WHO sample size calculator used to determine sample size. Consecutive sampling technique used. P-value<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The results are arranged and statistically evaluated. Overall, 45% answered positive to questions with respect to symptoms. Majority of patients reported positive for neck pain or stiff neck (16%) and muscular fatigue while chewing (17%). 50 % of patients suffering from TMD symptoms belong to Age Group 1 (15 – 35 years). 94.3 % female patients suffer from some degree of TMD. Based on Fonseca’s Anamnestic Index of severity, 65.9% of patients have Mild TMD symptoms, 18.9% with Moderate severity and 1.5% with severe symptoms of TMD.

Conclusion: This study concludes that TMD are more common in females with age group of 15 – 35 years of age. The most prevalent symptom is muscular pain / tiredness of jaws during chewing and stiffness of neck. In this study sample, majority of patients suffer from Mild TMD symptoms

Key words: Anamnestic Index, Fonseca’s Questionnaire, Prevalence of TMD, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder