Temporomandibular Disorders and Oral Health-related Quality of Life. A Systematic Review

Objective: Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is considered an important aspect of different oral conditions. It has also gained increased attention in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in recent years. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on OHRQoL and TMDs.

Material And Methods: A systematic search of the dental literature was performed using the Medline and Cochrane Library databases, supplemented by a hand search. Various combinations of search terms related to OHRQoL and TMDs were used. Among numerous titles found in Medline, abstracts and eventually full papers of potential interest were reviewed. Twelve papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the review.

Results: Most studies used the Oral Health Impact Profile, an instrument with good psychometric properties, for evaluation. All articles described a substantial impact on OHRQoL in TMD patients. Only a small proportion of all patients, a few percent, reported no impact at all. The difference between men and women was small and not significant. The impact appeared to be more pronounced in patients with more signs and symptoms. The perceived impact of pain on OHRQoL seems to be substantial. Two studies found that the impact increased with age among TMD patients.

Conclusions: The reviewed studies convincingly demonstrated that OHRQoL was negatively affected among TMD patients.