The purpose of an orthodontic treatment is to provide for each patient an acceptable aesthetic and masticatory function. Orthodontic treatment has been variously cited both as a protective and harmful factor in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) etiology. Background:The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of signs and symptoms of TMDs which coexist with different types of malocclusions in permanent dentition stage. Methods: A total of 41 patients (26 females and 15 males) mean age 17,5±2,5 years, completed a questionnaire and were examined clinically. Results: The results showed that 34,70% of the subjects exhibited at least one sign of TMD and females were generally more affected than males. Joint sounds were the most prevalent sign, followed by restricted opening and opening deviation. The amplitude of mouth opening, overbite taken into consideration, was slightly modified. TMJ pain and muscle tenderness were rare. Reported symptoms were headache being the most frequent symptom, followed by pain during chewing and hearing TMJ noises. Difficulty during jaw opening and jaw locking were rare. Conclusions: Our findings show that orthopedic instability may relate to TMDs showed by the prevalence of signs we found at our subjects.
Keywords: TMJ, TMD, malocclusion