An epidemiological study on the prevalence of temporomandibular disorder and associated history and problems in Nepalese subjects

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) represents a subgroup of painful orofacial disorders involving pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region, fatigue of the cranio-cervico-facial muscles (especially masticatory muscles), limitation of mandible movement, and the presence of a clicking sound in the TMJ. TMD is associated with multiple factors and systemic diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of TMD in Nepalese subjects for the first time.

Methods: A total of 500 medical and dental students (127 men and 373 women) participated in this study from May 2016 to September 2016. The Fonseca questionnaire was used as a tool to evaluate the prevalence of TMD, and Fonseca's Anamnestic Index (FAI) was used to classify the severity of TMD.

Results: The majority of the participants with TMD had a history of head trauma, psychological stress, and dental treatment or dental problems. The prevalence of TMD in Nepalese students was mild to moderate.

Conclusions: The prevalence of TMD in Nepalese subjects was mild to moderate. The majority of the study subjects had eyesight problems, history of head trauma, psychological stress, and drinking alcohol and had received dental treatments.