Evaluation of oral health-related quality of life in patients with temporomandibular disorders

Objective: To evaluate oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Methods: Subjects included 56 patients diagnosed with TMD. Control subjects consisted of 30 individuals without temporomandibular joint symptoms. OHRQoL was evaluated using the Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-J54) before and 4 months after treatment. Results: Total score and all subscale scores of the OHIP-J54 in patients before treatment were significantly higher than those of the control subjects and were significantly improved after treatment, except for social disability. Gender and NRS pain scores had statistically significant effects on OHRQoL, which was low in females and patients with severe pain. Conclusion: OHIP-J54 appeared to be useful for understanding psychological and social problems as a screening tool and for assessing the extent of changes in the well-being of patients with TMD.