Prevalence of Temporomandibular Dysfunction Symptoms in Dental Surgeons

Abstract

Introduction: Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) are defined as a set of painful and/or dysfunctional conditions related to masticatory muscles, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) and associated structures. This study proposed to evaluate the prevalence of TMD symptoms in dentists from Fortaleza, one Brazilian city, relating the age group, gender and time of professional performance. Materials and Methods:This is a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical research. A total of 495 dentists were selected, of which 55.8% (n= 276) were females and 44.2% (n= 219) were males, with a professional working time up to 10 years (69.1%, n= 342), up to 30 years old (57.0%; n= 282). Results: When asked about the movements that interfered with weekly pain according to European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders (EACD), the majority of the participants reported no pain (p<0.01), among the ones who answered yes, headache was the most prevalent (31%, n= 70), followed by pain in the temples, face, TMJ or mandible (17.3%; n= 39). In relation to participants who responded to have pain symptoms, headache was the most prevalent symptom. Regarding the search for treatment, the majority pointed to seek treatment with a neurologist. Despite several pain symptoms reported, most participants rated their own health with an average of 8.69±1.35. Conclusion: In spite of the several studies on the prevalence of TMD in the literature, there are still few studies evaluating the prevalence of TMD symptoms in dentists.