Role of malocclusion in tension type headache

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of occlusal traits in recurrent tension-type headache without signs or symptoms of temporomadibular disorders in adolescents to facilitate more evidence-based therapies in the treatment of tension-type headache. This cross sectional study was carried out on a total of 600 adolescents from Jan 2007 to Oct 2010 at Prince Rashid bin Al Hasan Hospital, Irbid province of Jordan. A complete headache group of 25 adolescents were recruited in this study. A control group of 25 adolescents was obtained, equally matched to the headache group for gender and closely matched for age and dental classification. The data collection comprised of a structured questionnaire answered by the patients and a subjective evaluation about their emotional state. A specific questionnaire for temporomandibular disorders was applied, followed by a clinical examination. Plaster models were made during orthodontic initial records for each patient to obtain certain occlusal traits measurements. On the basis of the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that overbite problem [p=.031], overjet problem [p=.037] and posterior crossbite [p=.047] were displaying statistically significant associations [p<.05] with significantly increased risk [>2.71] of tension type-headache