Craniomandibular disorders with special reference to orthodontic treatment: an evaluation from childhood to adulthood

The purpose of the present study was to reexamine a group of children and adolescents with respect to signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) and to evaluate whether any differences could be found between persons who had received orthodontic treatment earlier and those who had not. A total of 402 children in three age groups (7, 11, and 15 years) had participated in a cross-sectional study on the relationship between malocclusion and signs and symptoms of CMD. Ten years later they were asked to answer a questionnaire. In the youngest age groups (now 17 and 21 years old) 190 (76%) subjects answered the questionnaire. In the oldest age group (now 25 years old) completed questionnaires were received from 103 (84%) subjects, and 83 (62%) of those subjects appeared for a clinical examination. Subjects with a history of orthodontic treatment had a lower prevalence of subjective symptoms of CMD (TMJ sounds included) than those without any experience of orthodontics. Although the differences were small, it was more evident for the oldest age group. The clinical examination has shown that persons who had undergone orthodontic treatment had a significantly lower clinical dysfunction index than those who had not.