Age-related differences in temporomandibular disorder diagnoses

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Rheumatology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) represent a complex group of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles.
• Understanding the age distribution of different TMD diagnoses is crucial for effective patient management and epidemiological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the age distribution patterns of various temporomandibular disorder diagnoses.
• To identify specific age prevalence peaks for different TMD diagnostic categories.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 383 patients diagnosed with TMD using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) version 1.0 was analyzed.
• The patient sample was stratified into four age groups to compare diagnostic prevalence across different age intervals.
• Prevalence of specific diagnoses, including arthrosis/arthritis and joint crepitus, was examined in relation to patient age.

Main Results:

• The pattern of clinical TMD diagnoses significantly varied with increasing age.
• Two distinct age peaks emerged: one for arthrosis/arthritis (characterized by joint crepitus) around age 51.9, and another for other TMD diagnoses (without crepitus) around age 37.9.
• The prevalence of certain RDC/TMD axis I diagnoses showed age-dependent trends, with some decreasing and others increasing with age.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the hypothesis that TMD patient populations comprise at least two age-related diagnostic subgroups.
• The presence of degenerative joint disorders, such as arthrosis/arthritis, appears to be a key factor differentiating these subgroups.
• Further multicenter and cross-cultural studies are recommended to validate these age-related TMD distribution findings.