Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Temporomandibular Disorders, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey | [b] Department of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Demirhan Dıraçoǧlu, Istanbul Tip Fakultesi, Fiziksel Tip ve, Istanbul Universitesi, Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dali 34093 Capa, Istanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90 212 4142000 (600 line) Ext: 32102; Fax: +90 212 6311167; E-mail:demirhan1@yahoo.com
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression may cause temporomandibular joint (TMJ) complaints or
TMJ disorders may trigger some of psychiatric problems. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors and the interactive
role of anxiety and depression in patients with TMJ dysfunction. METHOD: A total of 273 patients who presented to the multidisciplinary outpatient
clinic of TMJ diseases that were followed up for temporomandibular
dysfunction (TMD), were included in this trial. Patients were classified in
three sub-groups: patients with myofacial pain alone (group-1), patients
with TMJ disorder alone (group-2), and patients with TMJ disorder and also
myofacial pain (group-3). All patients were examined using the standard TMJ
examination and were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD)
scale in order to determine anxiety and depression. RESULTS: According to the univariate analysis, risk factors for patients with
confirmed anxiety and/or depression were being female (p= 0.005), existence
of myofacial pain (p= 0.01), effects of stress on complaints (p= 0.005) and
insufficient social support (p< 0.001). According to regression analysis,
presence of psychopathology was increased 3.7 times in those being female,
3.5 times with insufficient social support, and 1.2 times with myofacial
pain. CONCLUSIONS: Among the patients with TMD, the groups who were considered
to have anxiety and depression were female patients, patients with deficient social
support system, and patients with myofacial pain alone or patients with myofacial
pain accompanying an existing TMJ disorder. The existence of anxiety and
depression should be considered in addition to musculoskeletal pathologies
during the treatment plan of patients with TMJ who have these risk factors.
