Prevalence and Types of Temporomandibular Disorders in Mexican Children Aged 7 to 11 Years

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) in children and adolescents, diagnosed according to the DC/TMD, ranges globally from 7.3% to 30.4%. Objective: To determine the prevalence and types of temporomandibular disorders using a validated and adapted instrument for the pediatric population in Mexican patients. Material and Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted with 26 children aged between 7 and 11 years who attended the pediatric dentistry teaching clinic in Mexico. After obtaining informed consent and assent, participants were evaluated using the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) modified by Restrepo et al. in 2020. A standardized investigator (Kappa = 0.72) performed the evaluation. The obtained results were analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS. Additionally, a comparison was made with the literature reports. Results: A prevalence of TMDs of 27% was found, with a predominance in males (27.8%). Regarding the types of TMDs, 85.7% were muscular. Moreover, the presence of both types of joint sounds was reported, with 38.5% of clicks versus 3.8% of crepitus. Conclusions: The prevalence and types of TMDs are similar to those reported in previous literature. These findings highlight the importance of early diagnosis using a validated instrument for TMDs by pediatric dentists. It is crucial to implement educational measures aimed at parents and pediatric patients to prevent future complications.