The epidemiologic study of the patients with temporomandibular joint disorders, using Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD): Preliminary Report

Im, Jae Hyung; Kim, Young Kyun; Yun, Pil Young

Abstract

PURPOSE
This epidemiologic research was carried out to investigate the degree and aspects of symptoms of patients suffered from TMD using RDC/TMD.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Subjects were the patients who had visited to SNUBH dental clinic from Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2005, and total 117 patients were included (M: 22, F:95). The signs and symptoms of physical, psychological and behavioral factors were retrospectively evaluated by questionnaires in the RDC/TMD. The patients were examined through clinical and radiological method, and diagnosed by same investigator. They were divided into 3 groups such as osteoarthritis group (group 1), internal deragnement (group 2), myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome group (MPDS, group 3). In addition, in patient with complex diagnosis they were divided into subgroups in detail (ex. group 1+group 2). In the questionnaire, several items were selected to calculate the graded pain score (grade 0~IV), depression and vegetative symptoms, nonspecific physical symptoms(pain items included) and nonspecific physical symptoms(pain items excluded) in each group.
RESULTS
As a result of classification by diagnostic criteria of this study, the patients were distributed to 45 % of group 1, 47 % of group 2, 8 % of group 3 in this study. In younger patients (under 25-year old, n=40), group 2 was occupied 57 % (n=23) and group 1 was 35 % , group 3 was 8 %, while group 1 was occupied 75 % in elderly-patients (over 40-year old, n=28) in present study (group 2: 21 % , group 3: 4 %). In the analysis of depression and vegetative symptoms, majority of patients in Group 2 were included in 'normal? and in Group 3 it appeared to have larger proportion of 'moderate' & 'severe' than others. According to nonspecific physical symptoms, there have been tendencies of higher ratio of 'severe' in patients with MPDS. In graded pain score, more than half (58 %) of subjects were included in grade 0 and low disability (Grade I and II), and 27 % were revealed high disability (grade III, IV).