Prevalence of anamnestic symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents—Results of the epidemiologic LIFE Child Study

Abstract

Background Prevalence values for symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adolescents vary within the literature due to differences in set‐ups of examination protocols. Objectives The objective was to present prevalence values for symptoms and signs of TMD in German adolescents that were observed within a standardised examination. Prevalence values comparing gender or pubertal status should be investigated. Methods A cross‐sectional sample of the LIFE Child Study aged 10 to 18 was examined. A questionnaire gathering anamnestic symptoms of TMD was completed, and an examination according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) was performed by trained dentists. Pubertal status according to Tanner stages was documented. Descriptive statistics, Mann‐Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests were performed. Results A total of 1.116 participants (mean age 12.9 years, 51.4% female) were consecutively recruited. Most prevalent anamnestic symptoms were headaches (55.7%) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds (17.6%). The major clinical sign was TMJ sounds (31.9%). Both the examination of muscles or TMJs showed that pain to palpation was statistically significantly higher than familiar pain (P < .001). Gender comparisons revealed higher prevalence values and an increase in TMD symptoms and signs during pubertal development in females. Conclusion The prevalence of self‐reported headaches, as well as anamnestic and clinical TMJ sounds, was high in German adolescents. Prevalence values for pain to palpation and familiar pain obtained relevant differences. Considering the DC/TMD, females are more affected by TMD signs and symptoms that increase during pubertal development, than male adolescents.

Relationship between Age-Dependent Body Constitution and Temporomandibular Joint Sounds in Adolescents

“…Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds are categorized as cardinal symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) [1]. According to a systematic review, 14.0% of the children or adolescents had clinical TMJ sounds [2], while a current investigation detected an even higher percentage-up to 31.9%-for German adolescents [3]. The gap between prevalence values might be due to the ethnicity of the participants, as previous investigations revealed that anatomical structures, e.g., the angulation of the articular eminence, varies between different ethnical groups [4].…”

“…A cross-sectional sample of the LIFE Child Study, aged 10 to 18 years, was recruited to investigate physical parameters as well as characteristics of the masticatory and dental system of the participants, the procedure has already been described in detail elsewhere [3,14,15]. Temporomandibular joint sounds were examined by trained dentists who used the examination form of the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) [16].…”

Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) for children and adolescents: An international Delphi study—Part 1‐Development of Axis I

“…[2][3][4] Reported TMD prevalence in children and adolescents varies widely in the literature from 4.2% to 68%, depending on population and method of assessment. [5][6][7][8][9] Painful and dysfunctional TMD might be associated with emotional stress, depression, sleep and hormonal disturbances, and functional complications. [10][11][12] In turn, the patient's daily life will be adversely affected by the presence of a TMD; in addition, TMDs result in increased pursuit of medical care which consumes both time and money.…”

“…13 TMDs are a considerable health problem in children and adolescents; several studies consistently show that TMD prevalence increases with age from childhood to adolescence, 7-9,14,15 especially for females. 7,8 However, in children under the age of 10 prevalence is assessed mainly on self-reported or proxy-reported signs and symptoms; hence, there is a need to develop a more comprehensive standardised process for the collection of clinical information and the diagnosis of TMD in children and adolescents, so that reliability and validity can be assessed and improved for this population. 16 Since 2014, the international standard for the assessment of TMDs is the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD).…”

“…TMDs are a significant public health problem with a prevalence in adults of 5%–30% according to different pathologies, different age range and different assessment forms 2–4 . Reported TMD prevalence in children and adolescents varies widely in the literature from 4.2% to 68%, depending on population and method of assessment 5–9 . Painful and dysfunctional TMD might be associated with emotional stress, depression, sleep and hormonal disturbances, and functional complications 10–12 .…”