Prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in children in the state of Puebla, Mexico, evaluated with the research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD)

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to describe the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in children of the State of Puebla, Mexico. A descriptive observational study was performed. After calculating sample size, children who met the following selection criteria were included registered at an official elementary school, either sex, ages between 8 and 12 years, who accept to participate in the study and whose parents have signed the informed consent forms. The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders were used by calibrated researchers (Kappa.90) under the same conditions. Descriptive statistics were applied by using SPSSv15 software. The study included 235 children, 129 (54.9%) female and 106 (45.1%) male, of average age 9.31+1.2 years. Prevalence of signs and symptoms was 33.2%, and predominately muscular (82%), 48.1% showed signs of muscular pain and 19.1% joint pain. 63.4% showed signs of alteration in the mouth opening pattern, 39.1% presented joint sounds on opening or closing the mouth and 20.4% on mandibular excursions. The high prevalence of signs and symptoms related to temporomandibular disorders, in particular in children with mixed dentition, shows the importance of TMD evaluation during this period, when morphological changes associated to growth and craniofacial development prevail.

RESUMEN

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue describir la prevalencia de signos y sintomas de los trastornos temporomandibulares (TTM) en ninos del estado de Puebla, Mexico. Se realizo un estudio observacional descriptivo. Previo calculo de tamano de muestra, se incluyeron ninos que cumplieron con criterios previos de seleccion inscriptos en escuela primaria oficial, de cualquier sexo, en edades de 8 a 12 anos, que aceptaron participar en el estudio y cuyos padres firmaron el consentimiento informado. Se utilizaron los Criterios de Investigacion Diagnostica para los TTM, aplicados por investigador estandarizado (Kappa .90) bajo las mismas condiciones. Se calculo estadistica descriptiva con el programa SPSS v15. Se incluyeron 235 ninos, 129 (54.9%) mujeres y 106 (45.1%) varones con promedio de edad de 9.31}1.2 anos. La prevalencia de signos y sintomas de TTM fue del 33.2% predominantemente musculares (82%), 48.1% presentaron dolor muscular y 19.1% articular. El 63.4% presento alteraciones en el patron de apertura bucal, 39.1% presento ruidos articulares en apertura o cierre y 20.4% a las excursiones mandibulares. Las altas prevalencias de los signos y sintomas relacionadas con los Trastornos Temporomandibulares, particularmente en ninos con denticion mixta, demuestran la importancia de la evaluacion de los TTM durante este periodo, donde prevalecen los cambios morfologicos asociados al crecimiento y al desarrollo craneofacial.