Temporomandibular joint disorders in patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease that can affect multiple organs, including the musculoskeletal system and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This study aimed to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) among patients with SSc.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional analytical study, 69 patients diagnosed with SSc were evaluated through structured clinical examination and some Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders which was symptom-based and performed using the DC/TMD questionnaire as a screening tool. Patients’ disease duration, severity (assessed by Metsger severity score) and skin involvement (assessed by the modified Rodnan skin score) were also recorded.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 52.26 ± 10.76 years; 82.6% were female. The median disease duration and severity were 9 years (IQR: 3–13), years and 3(IQR: 2.0–6.0), respectively. Based on DC/TMD criteria, 63.8% of the patients met diagnostic criteria for TMD. No statistically significant associations were found between TMD presence and patients’ age, disease duration, or skin score (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

TMD is highly prevalent among patients with systemic sclerosis, affecting more than 60% of the studied cohort. These findings underscore the need for routine TMJ screening in SSc patients, as early recognition and intervention may mitigate the impact of orofacial dysfunction on quality of life. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.