Does adolescent self-reported TMD pain persist into early adulthood? A longitudinal study

Objective: To follow up 2209 individuals in a longitudinal study and assess self-reported TMD pain, painful and non-painful comorbid conditions, and pain-related disability. Material and methods: During 2012-2014, questionnaires were sent to 2209 eligible individuals who had been screened for TMD pain each year during 2000-2003. The two screening questions were (1) Do you have pain in the temple, face, jaw joint, or jaws once a week or more often? and (2) Do you have pain when you open your mouth wide or chew once a week or more often? If the patient answered 'yes' to one or both of the questions, TMD pain was recorded. Non-respondents received reminders; telephone interviews were offered a randomised group. The questionnaire queried TMD pain, and painful and non-painful comorbid conditions. Results: The overall response rate was 36.5%. Individuals were placed into one of four pain groups defined by their pain experience at baseline and at the follow-up: no TMD pain (69.0%), new TMD pain (13.0%), previous TMD pain (9.9%), and persistent TMD pain (8.1%). Based on the self-report surveys, significantly more responders with TMD pain at follow-up had had pain as adolescents than not. Of adolescents with TMD pain, 45.1% had pain at follow-up as young adults, while 15.8% had pain at follow-up without a previous history of TMD pain. Individuals with persistent TMD pain had high frequencies of comorbid pains (p < .001), 45.2% reported moderate-severe depression scores (p < .001), and 13.0% had moderate pain-related disability (GCPS). Conclusions: Based on self-report surveys, TMD pain in adolescence appears to triple the risk of TMD pain in young adulthood, and persistent pain increased comorbid pain and psychosocial distress.