Abstract

JIMENEZ QUINTANA, Zuilen; SANTOS SOLANA, Lourdes de los; SAEZ CARRIERA, Rolando  and  GARCIA MARTINEZ, Indira. Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in the 15 years and over population from the City of Havana. . Rev Cubana Estomatol [online]. 2007, vol.44, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-297X.

A study of 1 201 persons aged 15 years and over from the City of Havana was carried out to determine the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders and their symptom severity index as well as the knowledge of the population about the temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD).  Multistage cluster sampling with equal probability proportional allocation was used.  Data were collected through anamnesis and clinical examination on the basis of a form created according to Helkimo´s Anamnesic and Clinical Indexes of Dysfunction. Dysfunction affected 31.89% of the patients according to the anamnesic index whereas 47,33% according to the clinical index, which evidenced that the percentage of surveyed people with clinical signs of dysfunction was higher than that of those who pointed out some symptom; females prevailed  and there was age proportionality; also, the most common dysfunction was the mild one on the basis of the clinical and the anamnesic indexes. The main symptom was joint sounds during mandible opening and closure.  The level of knowledge was poor because of the lack of information on this topic.

Keywords : temporomandibular disorders [prevalence/epidemiology/Helkimo test.].