SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS IN GIRLS WITH NORMAL OCCLUSION AND CLASS-II MALOCCLUSION

Mandibular function, headaches, and symptoms and signs of temporomandi bular disorders (TMD) were studied in one group of girls with a well-d efined normal occlusion (n = 60) and another group with class II maloc clusion (n = 123). Frequent headaches and temporomandibular joint clic king, muscle tenderness to palpation, pain on mandibular movement, awa reness of tooth clenching, and grinding were commoner in the class II malocclusion group. Awareness of tooth clenching had the largest influ ence on the odds for symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in a logistic regression analysis. Occlusal variables that incr eased the adds for symptoms and signs of TMD were large overjet, front al open bite, few occlusal contacts, lateral sliding retruded-intercus pal contact position, crowding, and non-working side interferences. We concluded that normal occlusions have lower odds for symptoms and sig ns of TMD, whereas some occlusal characteristics, more frequently foun d in the class II malocclusion group, increased the odds for symptoms and signs of TMD.