Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders and Effect of Anxiety: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Purpose: To evaluate oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) involving masticatory muscle pain, disc displacement with reduction, or both and to determine the associations of these disorders with anxiety. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 150 patients with TMDs and 50 healthy controls. Patients were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) Axis I and then divided into three diagnostic groups: masticatory muscle pain (group MP), disc displacement with reduction (group DD), or both (group MPDD). The participants completed the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaires for assessment of OHRQoL and anxiety, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U post hoc paired-comparison tests. Results: A total of 121 of the patients (60.25%) were female and 79 (39.75%) were male, ranging from ages 18 to 68 years (mean age: 37.32 & PLUSMN; 13.62). Gender distribution, mean age, educational status, and occupational status were similar among groups. The OHIP-14 global and domain scores and distribution of GAD-7 levels were significantly different among groups (P < .001). For psychologic discomfort and disability domains, group MPDD statistically scored the highest, followed by group MP, group DD, and then the control group (P < .05). According to correlation analyses, there were positive correlations between the GAD-7 and all OHIP-14 scores (r = 0.438, P < .001) within group MPDD. Conclusion: OHRQoL is negatively affected by TMDs and worsens as the severity of anxiety increases. Therefore, physical conditions and anxiety levels in TMD patients should be simultaneously considered for treatment and maintenance. Int J Prosthodont 2023;36:148-154. doi: 10.11607/ijp.7587