A comparison of headache symptoms between two groups: a TMD group and a general dental practice group

Several studies have shown that headaches are associated with patients who have temporomandibular disorders (TMD) compared with non-TMD patients. None of these studies separated the patients by gender or controlled for TMD in the two groups of patients. This study compared a TMD group of patients and a non-TMD group for recent headache symptoms, TMD symptoms and for gender differences. Each patient was asked to rate headache, temporomandibular joint and facial pain symptoms over the past week. The data was collected, tabulated and controlled for TMD symptoms. The data was scored using the Fischer's p-test and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. The headaches were significantly greater in the TMD group (p < 001) than in the private practice group with the genders combined. Dividing the two groups into genders, both males and females in the TMD group were shown to have a greater number of headache symptoms, and the number of headaches was statistically different than the non-TMD group (males p = .037, females p < .001). The TMD group had greater severity of headaches than the non-TMD group. Dividing the two groups into genders, females also had a greater severity of headaches than male counterparts in the TMD and non-TMD groups. From the multivariate logistic regression analysis, these results indicate that headache symptoms are common in patients with TMD symptoms and that the headaches were more severe in the TMD patients than in the non-TMD patients.