title: The relationship of temporomandibular disorders with headaches: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to retrospectively analyze the incidence of the concurrent existence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and headaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients (36 female, 4 male, mean age: 29.9±9.6 years) clinically diagnosed with TMD were screened. Patient records were analyzed regarding: range of mouth opening, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) noises, pain on palpation of the TMJ and masticatory muscles and neck and upper back muscles, and magnetic resonance imaging of the TMJ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to patient records, a total of 40 (66.6%) patients were diagnosed with TMD among 60 patients with headache. Thirty-two (53%) patients had TMJ internal derangement (ID), 8 (13%) patients had only myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) and 25 (41.6%) patients had concurrent TMJ ID/MPD. There were statistically significant relationships between the number of tender masseter muscles and MPD patients (p=0.04) and between the number of tender medial pterygoid muscles and patients with reducing disc displacement (RDD) (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TMJ and associated orofacial structures should be considered as possible triggering or perpetuating factors for headaches, especially tension-type. There might be a significant connection between TMD and headache. However, most medical and dental practitioners are unaware of this relationship. Therefore, a careful evaluation of the TMJ and associated orofacial structures is required for a correct interpretation of the craniofacial pain in headache patients, and these patients should be managed with a multidisciplinary approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilüfer Cakir
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozkan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005156:Facial Neuralgia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications*