Relationship Between Wind Instrument Playing Habits and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders in Non-Professional Musicians

BACKGROUND: In this study, we focused on the habits of wind instrumentalists as well as the presence of playing instruments, and investigated associations between the risk of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and playing wind instruments in non-professional musicians. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-two non-professional players of wind instruments (instrument group) (mean(SD), 20.0(1.1) y; 42 women) and 66 non-players (control group) (22.0(2.6) y; 45 women) participated in this study. Factors were investigated using questionnaires (a screening questionnaire for TMD, instrument playing habits, years of experience, and time played per day). RESULT: The prevalence of a high risk of TMD was not significantly different between the instrument group (29.2%) and control group (21.2%). In the instrument group, the frequency of subjects who felt mouthpiece pressure in the high risk of TMD group (47.6%) was significantly greater than that in the low risk of TMD group (21.6%). Mouthpiece pressure was found to be a significant factor contributing to a high risk of TMD (odds ratio, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.12–9.79). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that pressure from the mouthpiece was one of the contributing factors related to a high risk of TMD in non-professional wind instrument players.