Analysis of Clinical, Biopsychosocial Factors and Mmp3 Polymorphism in Women with TMD

Objectives: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a multifactorial condition that significantly affects patients' quality of life. This study investigated the association between clinical, biopsychosocial, and genetic factors, including the MMP3 rs679620 polymorphism, and TMD in women from southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted including 305 women, comprising 138 patients with TMD (disc displacement with or without reduction and arthralgia) and 167 controls without TMD symptoms. TMD was diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). Clinical and biopsychosocial characteristics were evaluated, and the MMP3 rs679620 polymorphism was genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed, with statistical significance established at p < 0.05. Results: Univariate analysis demonstrated significant associations between TMD and chronic pain (p = 0.002), somatic symptoms (p < 0.001), and depression (p = 0.007). Multivariate analysis identified pain preventing leisure activities, headache, ear ringing (tinnitus), and age as factors significantly associated with the presence of TMD. No significant association was observed between the MMP3 rs679620 polymorphism and TMD in the study population. Conclusions: Clinical and biopsychosocial factors were associated with the presence of TMD in this female population, whereas the MMP3 rs679620 polymorphism was not. These findings support the multifactorial nature of TMD and suggest that biopsychosocial factors may play a greater role than the genetic variant investigated in this population. Due to the cross-sectional case-control design, the observed associations should not be interpreted as evidence of causal relationships.