Delayed consultation of patients having temporomandibular joint ankylosis with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon - factors responsible for it

ABSTRACT

To find out the factors responsible for delay in seeking consultation by patients having Temporomandibu-larjoint A kylo sis. A.H the patients of Temporomandibularjoint ankylosis visiting Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Khyber college of Dentistry Peshawar from 1[st] January 2009 to 31[st] December 2009 were included in the study. Patient s gender, age, address, socio-economic status, educational level of parents, history of disease, health care professional initially contacted and delay in seeking consultation with an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon were documented. Out of 60 patients, 33 were males and 27 were females. Majority of them [86.7%] were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 83.3% having history of previous trauma. 51.7% of the patients initially contacted local practitioners, 10% contacted trained Medical specialists, 15% consulted an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon without prior referal while 23.3% did not consult any health professional. Overall, 50 patients were delayed in consultation with an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. The mean delay was 9.1 +/- 9.05 years [1-50 years]. Poverty, illiteracy, mis-diagnosis or non-diagnosis of con ay larfractures due to lack of trained specialists, improper follow up and the trend of non-referral to the specialised health professionals are the main jactors delaying consultation of patients, having TMJ ankylosis, with an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon