Global prevalence of temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Understanding the global prevalence and characteristics of a given health problem is essential for sizing its global and regional burden, estimating treatment needs, prioritizing healthcare services, and formulating targeted policies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the global prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) by gender, age, and continent, and the prevalence of specific categories such as myalgia, arthralgia, clicking/joint sounds, and limited mouth opening. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across three databases-PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science and supplemented by manual search up to June 2024. TMD diagnoses were based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) or Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD). Results: The database search yielded 15,628 records, from which 27 studies involving 20,971 subjects, including 6075 diagnosed with TMDs, were selected for final analysis. All meta-analyses utilized a random effects model. It is estimated that nearly a third of the global population (29.5%) suffers from TMDs. TMDs affected females at a significantly higher rate compared to males (36.7% versus 26.7%), representing a 1.75-fold greater likelihood among females. Prevalence among individuals under 18 years of age is 38.5%, compared to 34.1% in those 18 and older. TMDs are most prevalent in Europe (33.8%), followed by Asia (27.9%) and South America (27.3%); the lowest prevalence was in North America (19.4%). The most frequently reported signs and symptoms of TMDs are myalgia (37.2%), clicking/joint sounds (29.8%), and arthralgia (16.8%), with limited mouth opening/locking being the least prevalent (8.1%). Conclusions: TMDs represent a significant and largely unrecognized health burden. Although conducting further primary studies is urgent for confirmation, this current research underscores that TMDs might constitute a silent epidemic that has not garnered the urgent attention it deserves from healthcare providers, the local community, and researchers. The PROSPERO Registration: PROSPERO number is CRD42024583777.