Temporomandibular Disorders before and after Third Molar Surgery in Adolescents and Adults

Abstract

Temporomandibular Disorders before and after Third Molar Surgery in Adolescents and Adults

Sumitra Kraipitakkun DDS

Department of Dentistry, Taksin Hospital, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)

Objectives: To study the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) before and after third molar surgery in adolescents and adults. The association between the patients’ age and diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders before and after third molar surgery was also studied.

Methods: This prospective descriptive study involved 73 adolescents (ages 15 to 24 years) and 73 adults (ages more than 24 years) who had surgery for unerupted or partial erupted third molar in Taksin Hospital, BMA. TMD were assessed before and thirty days after surgery by clinical examinations. A diagnosis of TMD was made according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) by evaluation the click sound in the joint, temporomandibular joint tenderness from pressure, and tenderness of masseter and tempolaris muscles.

Results: Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents were 24.7% pre-operation and 15.1% thirty days post-operation, which were statistical significantly lower than the corresponding 46.6% and 42.5% found in adults. Comparing between pre- and post- operative disorders; in adolescents, 15.1% had TMD both pre- and post- operation, 75.3% did not had TMD both pre- and post- operation, while 9.6% had TMD pre operation but did not have after operation and none had TMD post-operation without TMD pre-operation. In adults, 41.1% had TMD both pre- and post- operation, 52.0% did not had TMD both pre- and post- operation, while 5.5% had TMD pre-operation but did not have after operation and 1.4% had TMD post- operation without TMD pre-operation. TMD in adolescents decreased significantly after third molar surgery, while TMD in adults decreased but not reach statistical significant after surgery.

Conclusion: Prevalences of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents were statistical significantly lower than those in adults either before or after third molar surgery. Post-operative TMD in adolescents decreased significantly after operation, while in adults the decreased did not reach statistical significant.

Keywords: third molar surgery, temporomandibular disorders, adolescents, adults