Incisal tooth wear and self-reported TMD pain in children and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
Incisal tooth wear may be a sign of long-term bruxing behavior. Bruxism is purported to be a risk factor for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of this population-based cross-sectional study was to determine if anterior tooth wear is associated with the self-report of TMD pain in children and adolescents.


METHODS
In a population sample of 1,011 children and adolescents (mean age 13.1 years, range 10 to 18 years; female 52%; response rate 85%), TMD cases were defined as subjects reporting pain in the face, jaw muscles, and temporomandibular joint during the last month according to RDC/TMD. All other subjects were considered controls. Incisal tooth wear was assessed in the clinical examination using a 0 to 2 scale (no wear, enamel wear, dentin wear) for every anterior permanent tooth. The mean wear score for the individuals was categorized into 0, 0.01 to 0.20, 0.21 to 0.40, and 0.41+. A multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for the effects of age and gender, analyzed the association between the categorized summary wear score and TMD. Specifically, the hypothesis of a trend between higher tooth wear scores and higher risk of TMD was tested.


RESULTS
An odds ratio of 1.1 indicated, after adjusting for gender and age, no statistically significantly higher risk of TMD pain with higher tooth wear scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Incisal tooth wear was not associated with self-reported TMD pain in 10- to 18-year-old subjects.
Hirsch
Christian
C
Department of Preventive Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Martin Luther University, Halle/Saale, Germany. christian.hirsch@medizin.uni-halle.de
John
Mike T
MT
Lobbezoo
Frank
F
Setz
Juergen M
JM
Schaller
Hans-Guenter
HG
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002012:Bruxism / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012737:Sex Factors; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000209:etiology*