STOMATOGNATHIC DYSFUNCTIONAL SYMPTOMS IN SAUDI-ARABIAN ADOLESCENTS

Secondary school Saudi students participated in a questionnaire about stomatognathic dysfunction symptoms. The adolescents were interviewed about general health, peripheral joint disease, chewing function, oral parafunctions, and symptoms of dysfunction. Thirty-two per cent of pa rticipants had at least one dysfunction symptom. Pain on opening was t he most common (35.7%), followed by headache (33.6%), and joint sounds (32.2%). Symptoms increased with decline in general health, particula rly the health of peripheral joints. Chewing functions were not impair ed. Tooth loss did not affect dysfunction symptoms in adolescents, whi lst a weak relation was evident between oral parafunctions and symptom s of mandibular dysfunction.