The prevalence of temporomandibular disorder in patients referred for orthodontic assessment.

Abstract

A total of 301 unselected orthodontic referrals were assessed for temporomandibular disorder, using a standardized questionnaire and clinical examination protocol. The mean age of the patients was 13.4 years. Over one-third of the 301 patients were found to exhibit at least one sign of TMD, and two-thirds had a mandibular dysfunction index (MDI) score of 1, 2 or 3, indicating mild to moderate dysfunction. Only five patients were found to have severe temporomandibular dysfunction. Statistically significant relationships were found between patient age and mandibular opening, and temporomandibular joint noises. No relationship was found between signs detected by clinical examination and symptoms reported by the patients.