title: Prevalence of temporomandibular dysfunction and pain in adult general practice patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders and related pain (TMD-pain) among adult recall patients in general dental practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2006 to September 2008, all adults attending a Swedish Public Dental Service (PDS) clinic for recall examination were asked two standardized questions about temporomandibular pain and dysfunction. Mouth-opening capacity was measured. The responses to the questions and mouth-opening capacity were combined to give a TMD-pain score, on a scale of 0-3. The patients' acceptance of their TMD condition was also noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects comprised 2837 adults (53% females, 47% men). Of the total sample, 4.9% reported a TMD-pain score of 1-3. The gender difference was significant: women predominated (p < 0.003). Forty-three per cent of those with TMD-pain scores of 1-3 (36% men, 47% women) considered that the condition warranted treatment, especially those registering a pain score (significant difference between pain and dysfunction groups, p < 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TMD-pain score shows promise as a useful instrument for detecting and recording TMD-pain. The prevalence of TMD disclosed in the study is high enough to be considered a public health concern. Most of the subjects with lower scores on the TMD-pain scale accepted their condition as not severe enough to require treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatognathic Physiology, Specialist Dental Care Center, The Mälar Hospital , Eskilstuna , Sweden.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adèrn
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stenvinkel
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sahlqvist
authors.forename: Åke
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Tegelberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: TMD pain; acceptance; effectiveness; general dentistry; prevalence