Prevalence of dental occlusal variables and intraarticular temporomandibular disorders: molar relationship, lateral guidance, and nonworking side contacts.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The association between dental occlusion and the development of intraarticular temporomandibular disorders remains unclear. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the prevalence of molar relationship, lateral guidance and nonworking side contacts and intraarticular temporomandibular disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-two asymptomatic volunteers and 263 symptomatic temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients completed a subjective questionnaire that documented the absence of jaw pain, joint noise, locking, and a positive history for TMD. Participants also underwent clinical and dental examination for signs and symptoms commonly associated with TMD or internal derangements. RESULTS: The most prevalent molar relationship was Class I. Symptomatic patients had a higher prevalence of Class II, Division 1 relationships on the left side compared with the asymptomatic volunteers with normal joints. There was a higher prevalence of canine guidance (52.04%; P <.005) on the right side in the symptomatic patients with disk displacement (DD). Volunteers with normal joints had a higher prevalence of 1 or more nonworking side contacts compared with symptomatic patients with normal joints (P <.001) and symptomatic patients with DD (P <. 001). CONCLUSION: This study suggests there are no systematic dental occlusal differences that clearly separate symptomatic from asymptomatic patients. Results indicate that it is unclear as to the relationship of the 3 analyzed factors and of intraarticular TMDs.