The prevalence of joint noises as related to age and gender

The interdependence of joint noises on age and gender was studied mixed-longitudinally in orthodontically treated subjects from 7 to 38 years of age. The prevalence of clicking signs and symptoms increased up to 25 years of age and leveled thereafter. Around age 19, a significant gender difference was present in clicking symptoms, with females reporting more clicks. The same pattern, although not significantly, was present for palpated clicks. Since male and female clicking prevalences are the same before and after adolescence, and since girls mature at an earlier age than boys, it is concluded that these noises reflect a maturity level rather than a multifactorial disorder. The prevalence of crepitation continued to increase slowly.