EVALUATION OF FREQUENCY OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDER AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS IN PAKISTANI DENTAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of Temporomandibular Disorder and its association with stress in Pakistani Dental Students. Study design: Cross-sectional Study. Place and duration of study: July 2024-December 2024 and was conducted in Combined Military Hospital, Lahore. Methodology: A total of 387 dental students from CMH were included in this study and were given questionnaires to fill. The first part of which included the demographic details of the respondents, the second part consisted of Fonseca anamnestic index (FAI) to estimate the symptoms and the severity of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD). The third and the last part of the questionnaire consisted of perceived stress scale-10 (PSS10) for measuring stress levels. Results: Out of 341completely filled questionnaires, the mean age of the participants was 40.45 ± 14.1 years with 183 (53.67%) males and 158 (46.33%) females. The prevalence of TMD was 65.10%, 45.45% having mild TMD, 16.42% moderate TMD, and 3.23% severe TMD. The remaining participants (34.90%) had no signs or symptoms of TMD. There was no significant difference in stress levels between the sexes (p = 0.086), but there was a significant difference in TMD severity between the sexes (p < 0.001). The individuals' stress levels and the severity of their TMD were strongly correlated (correlation coefficient r = 0.696, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The considerable prevalence of TMD in Pakistani dental students in CMH signifies a strong correlation with high levels of stress, especially during examination periods. The effects are more pronounced for women.