Clinical Characteristics of Temporomandibular Disorders in Patients Admitted to a Dental School Clinic in Turkey

This study was undertaken to observe the frequency of different diagnostic groups for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in patients who sought treatment for TMD in an outpatient clinic of a dental school.
Files of patients who received a diagnosis of TMD in a period of 24 months were evaluated. Clinical and demographic data extracted from 213 patient files meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed.
According to the classification of RDC/TMD, 100 patients were diagnosed with myofascial pain and 113 patients were diagnosed with disc displacement. Myofascial pain was the most common diagnosis among women; disc displacement with reduction (DDwR) was the most common diagnosis in men. Self-reported bruxism was reported by 59% of the patients. The amount of maximal mouth opening showed a statistically significant difference among patients with different clinical diagnoses and also between males and females (P0.05).
Demographic characteristics of patients with TMD presenting to a dental school clinic in Ankara, Turkey were similar to those reported in the literature. A thorough anamnesis can provide more detailed information about parafunctional activity and sociodemographic factors and enhance accurate diagnosis.