Early diagnosis of temperomandibular disorders (TMD) is important for prevention of further damage to the parts of the oro-facial system as early symptoms can be used as predictors of TMD. Aim: To assess the frequency of symptoms of temperomandibular disorders among dental students in Ernakulam district, Kerala, using Fonseca questionnaire. Settings and Design: A cross sectional study was conducted among dental students of various dental colleges in Ernakulam district. A convenience sampling method was used. Materials and Methods: The participants were provided with questionnaire of Fonseca, which included ten questions, which could be answered with yes, no and sometimes. Statistical analysis used: The collected data was analyzed statistically using SPSS version 24. Descriptive statistics and chi square tests were used for the analysis. Results: Among the 793 students who took part in the study (112 males and 681 females) 59.3% of the students had TMD according to the Fonseca index and among them almost 36% had mild TMD, 17.7% moderate TMD and only 5.8 % had severe TMD. The results also revealed that the sex of the individual did not significantly influence the severity of TMD (p value>0.05) whereas the influence of the age was found to be significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of TMD was found to be higher in dental students. Further research involving large diverse populations may throw light on the prevalence and severity of TMD, which may pave ways for developing specific preventive and therapeutic protocols in managing TMD at an early stage.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.