Three-year longitudinal study of mandibular dysfunction in young adults with intact and restored dentitions

Thirteen adolescents with intact dentitions and 16 with restored dentitions were re-examined after 3 years for signs and symptoms of mandibular dysfunction. In accordance with the results of the first examination, a lower prevalence and degree of clinically recorded dysfunction was found at the follow-up study in subjects with intact teeth than in those with dental restorations. This difference was especially explained by more muscle tenderness recorded in the individuals with restored dentitions than in those with intact teeth. However, the reported symptoms were as a rule mild and relatively evenly distributed in the two groups.