Abstract

The etiology of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) is multifactorial and is manifested by a set of signs and symptoms that can affect the morphological or functional integrity of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of TMD in physiotherapy students at University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Portugal, analyzing the presence and relation of signs and symptoms by gender. A total of 146 physiotherapy students (53 male and 93 female) participated in this study. A questionnaire about the presence of pain in TMJ in different moments of student life and the Fonseca anamnestic questionnaire were used to assess the prevalence and its severity. The prevalence of TMD was 73.3% (67.9% male and 76.3% female). The total score was higher in women and mild severity was the most frequent level in the participants. In female, age proved to be associated with the level of severity of TMD and being tense/nervous a risk factor in the appearance of this dysfunction. Female students felt pain in TMJ at any moment and male during exams. In conclusion, the prevalence of signs and symptoms of TMD was high, having females a higher score and being tense/nervous was considered a risk factor.

Keywords: Temporomandibular joint; Temporomandibular disorders; Signs and symptoms; Students; Physiotherapy