ASSOCIATED FEATURES OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR PAIN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME

Abstract

Objective: To know the associated features of temporomandibular pain dysfunction syndrome (TMPD) in

order to prepare a preliminary report about patterns of TMPDS in our population.

Material and Methods: In this prospective observational study, fifty patients of TMPDS were interviewed

and examined in Sardar Begum Dental College Peshawar and authors' private clinic from Jul 2005 to Dec

2006. Diagnosis of TMPD was established by history and clinical examination as the presence of pain,

tenderness in muscle of mastications, limitation of jaw movements and by exclusion of other dental or TMJ

pathological conditions

Results: Most of the patients were in their third decade of life and mostly they were students (34%).

Female gender was more common (74%) and most of the female patients were unmarried. Parafunctional

habits like bruxisum, daytime clenching of the teeth, nail biting were noted in 22 (44%) patients, difficult

extractions in 3(6%) patients and orthodontic treatment in 3(6%) patients while in 17 (34%) cases

associated features were unknown. Pain was the presenting complaint of all the patients (100%) followed

by clicking sounds in 56% and trismus in 44% of the cases.

Conclusion: Parafunctional habits, difficult extractions and orthodontic treatment were related with

TMPD in this study and nearly all of these factors reflect the stress affecting the TMJ.