Clinical and quality-of-life assessment among women with temporomandibular disorder

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate pain symptoms, teeth clenching, quality of sleep, sensitivity to pain in the main masticatory and stabilizer muscles, and quality of life among women with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Methods: Forty-five women were evaluated and divided into two groups. Group I included 27 women (mean age 30.1 +/- 5.8 years) with a diagnosis of TMD and Group II (control) included 18 healthy women (mean age 23.4 +/- 2.3 years). The intensity of pain symptoms (headache, neck pain), teeth clenching and trouble sleeping was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). The pain thresholds of the masseter, anterior temporalis, upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles were evaluated using a dolorimeter. Quality of life was evaluated using SF-36. Statistical analysis was performed and the significance level was alpha <= 0.05. Results: The results showed that the women with TMD presented more intense headache (p<0.001), neck pain (p<0.001), teeth clenching (p<0.001) and trouble sleeping (p<0.001). They also presented lower pain threshold in the masseter (p<0.001), anterior temporalis (p<0.001), upper trapezius (p<0.001) and sternocleidomastoid (p<0.001) muscles and lower quality of life in all evaluated domains (p< 0.05) when compared with the control group. Conclusions: Women with TMD had greater intensity of pain symptoms, teeth clenching, trouble sleeping, sensitivity to pain in the masticatory and neck muscles and lower quality of life, compared with women without TMD.