Inquiry

Awareness of TMD management options

Background

Among the general population temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) occur with about a 10% prevalence and a 3% incidence per year. Thus it is the most common cause of pain in the orofacial pain not related to infection or the teeth themselves. It is also the second most common musculoskeletal disease experience, with chronic back pain being first. Health-related expenses related to TMDs are significant. Studies have indicated that patients with TMDs are often not sufficiently and adequately

Methods

The questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 400 dentists in Northern Germany. The questions focused on the participants’ knowledge and management of TMDs. The response rate was 55.6%, with 222 dentists (age range 27 to 68 years) participating in the survey.

Results

Average time between graduation was 21.2 years, with a range of 0 to 41 years. Women accounted for 29.4% of the sample. Eighty-seven percent of the group were general dentists, with specialists ranging from 1.8% in oral and maxillofacial surgery to 16.2% in implant dentistry.

Nearly 90% of the participants had attended training courses in TMD, with 16.2% having taken a single course and 71.6% taking more than one. Higher proportions of practitioners more years away from graduation had completed

Discussion

Practitioners varied in the type and scope of TMD management practiced based on the length of time since they had graduated from dental school. Often new graduates felt they were insufficiently prepared to manage these patients, which may reflect inadequacy of preparation during dental school. TMD management was also less likely to include methods that are supported by the current clinical evidence.