Prevalence in the Dutch adult population and a meta-analysis of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder.

A nationwide survey of oral conditions, treatment needs, and attitudes toward dental health care in Dutch adults was carried out in 1986. One of the aims of the study was to assess the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). A sample of 6577 persons (from 15 to 74 yr of age), stratified for gender, age, region, and socio-economic status, was contacted. Of this sample, 4496 persons participated in the behavioral part of the study, of whom 3526 were examined clinically. The TMD prevalence was based on (1) perceived signs and symptoms of TMD and (2) clinical examination of joint sounds, deviation, and pain on mandibular movements. A total of 21.5% of the Dutch adult population perceived some dysfunction, and 44.4% showed clinically assessed signs and symptoms of TMD. In nearly all age groups, the signs and symptoms of TMD appeared more in women than in men. Agreement between the results of the clinical examination and the anamnestic dysfunction index was significant (p < 0.0001); however, the Pearson's correlation coefficient was low (r = 0.29). The odds-value (risk-ratio) that subjects who perceived signs and symptoms of TMD would present with clinically assessed signs and symptoms of TMD was 2.3. The results of the survey were compared with results of a meta-analysis performed on 51 TMD prevalence studies. The analysis revealed (1) a perceived dysfunction rate of 30% and (2) a clinically assessed dysfunction of 44%, both based on compound samples of, respectively, over 15,000 (23 studies) and over 16,000 (22 studies) randomly selected subjects.