Internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint in 211 patients: symptoms and treatment.

This report is a retrospective evaluation of 211 patients (75% women, 25% men) treated for TMJ clicking and/or TMJ incoordination at the University Hospital, Copenhagen, in 1971-77. In both sexes, the age group 20-30 yr dominated and the main part of the population belonged to the social middle class. The reasons for seeking treatment were mainly TMJ sounds, pain and impaired mandibular mobility. Neither subjective complaints nor objective signs of dysfunction were associated with dental/occlusal status or with the presence of malocclusions. The patients had been treated with reversible modalities (65%), occlusal adjustment (8%) and counseling alone (27%). Of the actively treated patients, 43% had experienced relief within 1 month and at the end of treatment 72% had reduced or no symptoms. It was not possible to demonstrate any association between the duration of symptoms before treatment and the duration of treatment/number of consultations.