Prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in dental students

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in dental students. Materials and methods: A total of 200 dental students, officially registered at The Oxford Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, voluntarily participated in this study- After obtaining the informed consent, the participants were asked to answer the questionnaire to evaluate TMD in undiagnosed cases- Then, examination of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and associated structures were done. Results: The present study has shown that the prevalence of signs and symptoms were 50.5 and 48% respectively, with no apparent gender difference- Joint sound was the most prevalent sign and TMJ noise being the most common symptom. Among oral parafunctional habits, lip/cheek biting and nail biting were common. Conclusion Signs and symptoms of TMD were present even in nonpatient population, such as dental students. Thorough clinical assessments with standardized test are necessary for the early diagnostic process.

Keywords

• Temporomandibular disorders
• Dental students