Association between TMD treatment need, sick leaves, and use of health care services for adults.

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between need for treatment of temporomandibular disorders, sick leaves, and use of health care services in a study population of 441 adults born between 1927 and 1967. The findings indicated that these were strongly associated. The results were in agreement with earlier studies suggesting that stomatognathic disorders are one link between medicine and dentistry in health care. Subjects with temporomandibular disorders were significantly more often on sick leave, visited a physician more often, and had more physiotherapy and massage than subjects who did not need treatment for temporomandibular disorders. Intervention studies are needed to improve cooperation between different specialties, to eliminate unnecessary examinations as well as ineffective treatment modalities, and to decrease the cost of health care.