Prevalence and Sex Distribution of Temporomandibular Disorder and Their Association with Anxiety and Depression in Indian Medical University Students

Kaberi Majumder,Dayashankara Rao Jk,Sunil Gulia,Shalender Sharma,Varun Arya,Vijay Siwach

doi:10.4236/ijcm.2015.68076

Abstract

Objectives: The term TMD refers to a group of disorders characterized by pain in the temporomandibular joint and associated structures. The aim of this study was designed to evaluate prevalence, severity and sex distribution of sign and symptoms of TMD and to evaluate their relation with anxiety and depression among the students. Material and Methods: A total of 1000 university students were enrolled in the study (550 females; 450 males), with ages ranged between 18 and 28 years. Helkimo anamnestic index (Ai) and clinical dysfunction index (Di) were used to determine symptoms and signs respectively. For the association of TMD with anxiety and depression, HAD (Hospital Anxiety and Depression) scale was used. Results showed that prevalence of one or more symptoms of TMD was 27.7%, while the prevalence of one or more signs of TMD was 64.4% which was mild in severity. Mild anamnestic symptoms (AiI) were found in 19.8% and severe symptoms (AiII) were found in 7.6%, while mild clinical sign (DiI), moderate clinical (DiII) and severe clinical sign (DiIII) were found in 49.7%, 12.2% and 2.4% respectively. Statistically there was no gender difference in these two scales. Regarding the association between TMD with anxiety and depression, 206 of the 311 students (66.2%) with TMD symptoms also had signs of anxiety and depression (P < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings confirmed that students had high prevalence of TMD which was significantly associated with anxiety and depression.

Highlights

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement
The distribution of symptoms of TMD among the investigated students had been shown in Table 1. 27.7% of the studied group had one or more symptoms of the TMD
There was significant gender difference according to one or more symptom, with males being significantly higher than females (P < 0.05) while insignificant gender differences were found for other symptoms of TMD (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. The American Dental Association has adopted the term temporomandibular disorders. The movement of the mandible needs coordination among them to maximize function and minimize the damage to surrounding structures [1]. It has been well established, by means of epidemiological studies in which signs and symptoms of TMDs are common in adults of all ages [2]. Reports have shown that signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) increase with age [3]; other studies have shown a decrease in symptoms with increasing age [4]. The concept of TMD may be attributable to specific genes that are inheritable

Objectives

Methods

Results