Abstract

Background: Severe malocclusions may cause functional and aesthetic problems and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Studies have investigated association between malocclusions and TMDs and shown controversial findings.

Objective: Purpose of this investigation was to examine the prevalence of TMD sub‐diagnoses, using Diagnostic Criteria for the TMD (DC/TMD), in patients with Class II malocclusion and retrognathic mandible who had undergone mandibular advancement surgery 4–8 years previously, and to compare their frequencies with non‐treated patients with a similar pre‐existing condition.

Methods: Study cohort comprised 151 patients who had orthognathic treatment due to mandibular retrognathia in 2007–2011. Seventy‐seven (51%) participated in the study (Group 1). Group 2 comprised 22 patients who were planned for orthognathic treatment but had not started their treatment. Patients filled in the Finnish version of the DC/TMD Symptom Questionnaire and were examined using to the DC/TMD Axis I. DC/TMD Symptom Questionnaire were inquired by phone from 24 of the 74 patients who did not participate in the study.

Results: Results showed that Group 2 had more myalgia (13% vs 50%, P < 0.001) and arthralgia (18% vs 65%, P < 0.001) sub‐diagnoses than Group 1. A tendency was noted that Group 2 had more pain‐related TMD symptoms than Group 1. No differences were found between Groups 1 and 3 in gender and age distribution or frequency TMD symptoms.

Conclusion: Prevalence of especially pain‐related TMD diagnoses was higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1, thus indicating a possible beneficial effect of this treatment for TMD.