Dental treatment as perceived etiology of temporomandibular disorders.

Objective

To characterize patients who believe their temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms are caused by their prior dental treatment.

Methods

A sample of 337 patients were selected and classified into dental treatment-related and non-dental treatment-related groups, according to their personal belief of their TMD etiology. The relationship between patients' perceived etiology and patient characterization was analyzed using Chi-square and t-test.

Results

One-hundred and thirty-one patients perceived that the cause of their TMD was dental-related. Within this group, 27.5% of the 131 patients considered that their TMD was specifically caused by prior dental treatment. These patients possessed significantly greater disability (self-reported work disability, family interference, and higher level of depression) compared to the patients who did not believe their TMD was caused by dental treatment.

Conclusion

Dentists should recognize that their dental treatments could possibly be the cause of patients' TMD symptoms, according to patients' beliefs.