Oral parafunctions, personality traits, anxiety and their association with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in the adolescents

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between oral parafunctions, personality traits, anxiety and signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in the adolescents. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy adolescents were examined clinically for the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. Participants completed questionnaires about demographic variables, medical history, symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, parafunctional oral habits, Minnesota Multibasic Personality Inventory, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses revealed that bruxism was associated with joint tenderness (Odds ratio (OR)=6.38, p < 0.01), joint noises (OR=6.02, p < 0.01) and masticatory muscle tenderness (OR=4.19, p < 0.05) to palpation. State anxiety showed increased risk of joint tenderness (OR=2.47, p < 0.05) and muscle tenderness (OR=3.25, p < 0.05) to palpation. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that oral parafunctions, especially bruxism, state anxiety, depression and hysteria were associated with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents.