Assessing Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders among University Students: A Questionnaire Study

AIM: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) among university students. OBJECTIVES: The etiology of TMD is of multifactorial, and our study is designed to assess the prevalence of TMD in an institution within a university. Various parameters including trauma, malocclusion, stress assessment - its correlation with the timing, the duration of TMD in meeting the deadlines, and examinations have been assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A standard questionnaire-based study with modified Fonseca anamnestic index is used. The questionnaire study was conducted with a statistically calculated sample size of 402 students within a university. The data were analyzed statistically for significance and correlations. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows release 14.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Differences at the 5% level were accepted as being statistically significant. RESULTS: TMD and its associated symptoms are frequent among students of health and science studies. Female predominance is seen. There was also an increased prevalence of symptoms in people who described themselves as being tense. The relationship between orthodontic therapy and TMDs were also evaluated, and the duration of therapy is found to be significant. There was a significant association between history of trauma and presence of TMDs. CONCLUSIONS: TMD and its associated symptoms are frequent among students of health and science studies. A simple anamnestic index is of use in identifying and classifying temporomandibular joint and TMD symptoms in patients according to the severity of the disorder. Females showed a greater prevalence of signs and symptoms of TMD than males. Longitudinal studies are recommended to identify and follow-up the prevalence and health-care needs of patients with TMDs.