title: Prevalence of patients harboring temporomandibular disorders in an otorhinolaryngology department.
abstract: The interaction between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and otalgia is, even nowadays, a reason for speculation and hypotheses raising. Several researchers suggest causes, consequences and alleged treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an epidemiological, sectional cohort study of prevalence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study demonstrates the prevalence of patients harboring TMDs in an otorhinolaryngology department.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a two-month period, 221 patients from the Otorhinolaryngology Department of the Hospital da Cidade de Passo Fundo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil were analyzed. A previously validated questionnaire was applied for data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, the need for dental assessment was observed in 48 patients ( 21.72%). In this group there were 35 female (72.9%) and 13 males (27.1%). Only 15 patients (7.24%) were entirely free of TMD symptoms. The remaining patients reported the following TMD symptoms: headaches: 34.39%, neck and shoulder pain: 28.50%, pain on the ear region: 30.32% and joint noises in 23.98%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of temporomandibular disorders was 21.72%, being significantly higher among female subjects (p:0.0001). The prevalence regarding the indexes, was: TMD absent: 37.56%; mild TMD: 40.72%; moderate TMD 19% and severe TMD: 2.72%.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisa São Leopoldo Mandic, 99020-220 Passo Fundo, RS. alexandrasil@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Alexandra Magalhães
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Pedro Paulo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Feltrin
authors.forename: Rachel Virgínia
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Mário Cláudio
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mautoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*