Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders across Brazilian regions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) signs and symptoms in non-patients from different Brazilian geographic areas. Questionnaires were applied to 2,396 college students, of which 73.7% were women (aged 21±5) and 26.3% men (aged 22±4). Once severity levels were classified, data were statistically treated, and significance level set at 5%. Greater percentage of TMD signs and symptoms was found in women (73.03%) than among men. No significant differences between percentages of students with moderate and severe signs and symptoms were found in Central-West region - where chances of finding male students with severe TMD signs and symptoms are higher than in any other region. In the South was found the greatest percentage of students with some TMD signs and symptoms, but with lesser severity than in other regions. In the Northeast and the South there are higher chances of finding male rather than female students without TMD signs and symptoms. In all Brazilian regions there were more non-patient students with some severity level of TMD signs and symptoms than without them. Different regions present different probabilities of finding students with TMD signs and symptoms.