Some self-reported symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction in a population in Northern Norway

The distribution of a number of self-reported symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, parafunctions and treatment behaviour was studied by means of a questionnaire answered by 94% of a population group of 358 persons aged 20-69 years in Northern Norway. Nine subjects reported pain from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) when opening their mouth and/or when chewing, while twenty-one subjects had clicking sounds in the TMJ. Seventeen persons had been grinding their teeth during the previous week. Only seven individuals had ever sought medical or dental advice because of TMJ disorder. Tooth grinding and symptoms of TMJ dysfunction were most common in young people, in people with twenty teeth of more and/or in people from high social classes, whereas differences according to sex and income were small. The low frequency of subjective symptoms of TMJ dysfunction and parafunctions in this population was related to demographical, social, dental and methodological influences.