Do early signs of orofacial dysfunctions and occlusal variables predict development of TMD in adolescence?

The aim of the present report was to focus on if early signs of different orofacial dysfunctions, e.g. misarticulations of speech, problems in oral motor skills and TMD, malocclusions or occlusal interferences could predict the development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adolescence. Altogether there were 94 children referred for speech therapy and 93 controls who participated in all three stages of this longitudinal study. In the whole sample the mean age during the first examination was 7.6 years, during the second examination 10.6 years, and during the third one 15.4 years. Multiple logistic regression models showed that subjects with a tendency to open bite tended to have palpatory tenderness of the muscles. Overjet was positively related to hypermobile but negatively to hypomobile jaw movements. Deviation on opening was associated with problems in oral motor skills, and some signs of TMD seemed to be related to each other. In addition, girls had a higher risk of having several signs of TMD than boys did. In conclusion, tendency to open bite, both mesial and distal molar occlusion and increased and decreased overjet were occlusal anomalies associated with TMD. Altogether, among 15-year-olds there seems to be both local and central factors in the aetiology of TMD.