Abstract
To determine the knowledge of general dentists and dental specialists on temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in Italy, a web-based questionnaire including 20 multiple- choice questions was sent to all general dental practitioners and specialists in Italy. Mean score of diagnosis and treatment knowledge of all participants was 23.8 ± 7.3 out of 40 achievable scores. There was a significant difference between the knowledge of dentists and the variables of sex, age, and years of experience (p < 0.05). However, overall, it is not possible to state a significant difference between the final score of dentists with different specializations (p = 0.89). The results of this study showed an acceptable knowledge of participants regarding TMD.
Highlights
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), one of the most complex joints in the body, connects the mandible with the temporal bone of the skull [1]
According to the findings reported in our study, 41% of the general dental practitioners had acceptable temporomandibular disorders (TMD) knowledge, 12% were aware of TMD, and 47% showed an insufficient knowledge
Even though dentists whose specialty was conservative dentistry/endodontics (25.3 ± 6.1) showed higher knowledge and practitioners with gnathology (20.9 ± 6.4) specialty achieved a lower score in the questionnaire, no significant difference in TMD knowledge was observed between participants based on their specialty (p = 0.89)
Summary
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), one of the most complex joints in the body, connects the mandible with the temporal bone of the skull [1]. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are frequent causes of cranio-facial diseases [3] which are characterized by pain, clicking, and discomfort during chewing and mouth opening [4]. It is worth noting that TMDs are very common disorders as almost 75% of the population has at least one sign of joint dysfunction (e.g., abnormal jaw movement, joint noises, tenderness on examination), and roughly. General dental practitioners (GDPs) are the first practitioner to be contacted and an effective and timely diagnosis can have important implications on the treatment of patients affected by TMD [10,11]. An independent study performed in Turkey revealed that dentist knowledge on TMJ disorders and occlusal splint therapy is insufficient [13]
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