title: A Survey of the Management of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders by General Dental Practitioners in Southern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are recognized as one of the most controversial topics in dentistry, despite the fact that both basic science and clinical researchers have currently reached some degree of consensus. This study aimed to conduct a questionnaire-based survey about the management of TMD patients by general dental practitioners (GDPs).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-one GDPs with a private practice in a city of southern Brazil were included, independent of school of origin, gender, graduation year, and curriculum content. All participants were administered a questionnaire about the management of patients with TMD, and the responses were analyzed by binomial and chi-square tests (α = 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the GDPs, 88.7% received TMD patients, who were primarily diagnosed on the basis of medical history (36.6%) or physical examination (30.4%). Of these, 65.4% referred the patients elsewhere, primarily to specialists in occlusion (36.1%) or orthodontics (29.7%). Occlusal splinting was the most commonly used management modality (20.8%), followed by occlusal adjustment (18.1%) and pharmacotherapy (16.6%). Splints were fabricated in maximum habitual intercuspation or centric relation depending on individual patient (54.8%). The hard stabilization form was the most common type of appliance used (35.0%). Moreover, 73.8% of the GDPs did not employ semi-adjustable articulators, and 69.5% adjusted the appliances at the time of fixing. The duration of splint use and the frequency of follow-up were considered patient dependent by 62.1% and 72.8%, respectively. GDPs considered the two major TMD etiologic categories as multifactorial (20.8%) and occlusion (19.9%). Multidisciplinary medical and dental treatment was considered necessary by 97.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluated general dental practitioners manage TMD patients according to international guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel H S
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Aldrigue
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Ayala
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Araraquara Dental School, University Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pavarina
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Araraquara Dental School, University Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nara H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Campanha
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Temporomandibular joint disorders; dentist practice patterns; health care surveys