A Retrospective Analysis of Temporomandibular Disorders: Findings among Israeli Jews

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) involve the masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint, or both. The research diagnostic criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD), based on a dual axis system, places the physical diagnosis (pathophysiology) on one axis (AXIS I), and the assessment of TMD-related parafunctional behaviors, psychological distress and psychosocial dysfunction on a second axis (AXIS II). Aims: To analyze the relationship between various demographic factors (e.g. age, gender, education, origin according to parent's place of birth (Ashkenazi or Sephardic) and temporomandibular disorders as evaluated by the RDC/TMD criteria. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of RDC/TMD questionnaires was made, regarding 298 adult patients born in Israel, who were referred to the Orofacial Pain and TMD Clinic at Tel-Aviv University. Results: Age was inversely correlated with disc displacement and directly correlated with bruxism (p<0.001). Women suffered more from myofascial pain (p<0.001) and expressed more somatization than men (p<0.05), while men performed more bruxism (p<0.05). Duration of pain correlated positively with both the level of anxiety and severity of joint disorders (p<0.05 for each). No correlation was found between psychological parameters and education. Nevertheless, an inverse correlation was found between education and the number of days missed from work due to pain. Parent's place of birth was not correlated with any AXIS II parameters. Conclusions: Age and gender are associated with different aspects of TMD as evaluated by RDC/TMD. Patients diagnosed with disc displacement suffered for a shorter time than patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis, suggesting a possible progressive correlation. Contrary to expected, no correlation was found between AXIS II parameters and Ashkenazi or Sephardic origin of the Israeli born patients, indicating cultural integration as far as Axis II parameters are concerned.