Temporomandibular joint dysfunction: an occasional manifestation of serious psychopathology.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is multifactorial in etiology. In many patients, psychological factors contribute to the development of symptoms. This is a retrospective study of 25 patients who had temporomandibular joint dysfunction and facial pain as an early sign of significant primary psychopathology. The diagnoses were: acute depression, manic-depressive illness, hysteria, and schizophrenia. Diagnosis of the underlying psychopathology and recognition of its role in the etiology of temporomandibular joint symptoms permitted more effective treatment.