Chairside risk assessment for first-onset temporomandibular disorders: Result from the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment data set

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) risk assessment is difficult in general dentistry owing to the complexity of multifactorial risk contributions and the lack of standardized education. The authors explored a health history-based chairside risk assessment.

Methods: Secondary data analysis was performed on the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment data set. Potential demographic, systemic, and local risk contributors were conceptualized into 10 risk categories. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling with backward selection was applied. Variables with P values < .05 were kept in each successive model.

Results: The analysis included data from 2,737 participants. The final model indicated that people with any psychological conditions, pain disorders, sleep disorders, or orofacial symptoms were at elevated risks of developing first-onset TMD. Results of post hoc analysis showed the coexistence of conditions from multiple body systems conferred greater risk of developing TMD.

Conclusions: Coexisting conditions and symptoms from multiple body systems substantially increase the risk of developing TMD pain. Therefore, multisystem risk assessment and interprofessional collaborations are important for the prevention of TMD.

Practical implications: Dentists should include psychological conditions, pain disorders, sleep disorders, and orofacial symptoms when assessing patients' risk of developing TMD pain.