title: Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in children based on physical signs.
abstract: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are related to the function and integrity of the masticatory system with restricted jaw movement and/or joint clicking or crepitus, for example, dominating the clinical signs of these disorders. The prevalence of TMD signs was examined in non-patient children ages six to twelve (1994 n = 185, 1995 n = 237) by four examiners using standardized techniques. Of significance was the finding that 7.3 percent of the 1994 children had audible joint sounds, while the 1995 examination reported 3 percent. Statistically significant relationships (p < 0.05) between the ages of the subjects and measurements of overbite (p < 0.0001), overjet (p < 0.01), and clicking (p < 0.005) were calculated from the 1994 data, while significant correlations for overbite (p < 0.001) and overjet (p < 0.01), but not clicking were found in the 1995 examination. One study of four- to six-year-old nonpatients reported a higher occurrence of joint sounds (48 percent). This disparity indicates a possible need for standardization of examination techniques specifically targeting joint sounds and their role in TM disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Creighton University School of Dentistry, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Stockstill
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bowley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dunning
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spalding
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erickson
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001314:Auscultation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006277:Health Fairs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D009329:Nebraska / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013016:Sound; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology