Evaluation of temporomandibular joint disorders by research diagnostic criteria (RDC/TMD) biobehavioral (Axis II) screening

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate temporomandibular joint disorders using the Research Diagnostic Criteria and to present the psychometric analyzes of patients with different diagnoses. Materials and Methods: Patients applying with temporomandibular joint disease were asked to fill out the RDC/TMD Axis II form. Then, the patients were examined, and the diagnosis was determined. The patients were evaluated in osteoarthritis (group 1), internal derangement (group 2), myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome (group 3) and local myalgia (group 4) groups. According to information obtained from the RDC/TMD Axis II form, the age and gender distribution of the patients, the distribution of the diagnostic groups, the degree of daily discomfort for the groups, the degree of psychological pain, the degree of somatization and the degree of chronic pain were investigated. In addition, the use of antidepressants and smoking habits of the patients were questioned. Diagnostic groups were evaluated comparatively. Results: The number of patients determined to participate in our study is 274 and as 4 patients were excluded for various reasons, eventually 270 patients were evaluated. The patients participating in the study were minimum 18 and maximum 74 years old and the mean age was 32.91 years. Of the patients participating in the study, 78.5% (212) were female and 21.5% (58) were male. Diagnosis groups was investigated, 16.3% of the patients had osteoarthritis (group 1), 31.5% had internal derangement (group 2), 23.3% had myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome (group 3), 28.9% had local myalgia (group 4). When the degrees of depression and somatization and the degrees of chronic pain were examined, it was seen that myofascial pain and dysfunction group showed the highest values. Internal derangement group showed the lowest values. There was no difference between the local myalgia and osteoarthritis groups, and both showed higher values than internal derangement. When the use of antidepressants was examined, it was determined that the myofascial pain group used more antidepressant drugs compared to the other groups. There was no difference between the groups in terms of smoking. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome group patients were determined as the group with the most depressive and has the heaviest chronic pain. The internal disorder group was also determined as the group with the least depressive and has the least chronic pain. There was no difference between the local myalgia and osteoarthritis groups, and both showed higher values than internal derangement. Keywords: Temporomandibular joint disorders, Temporomandibular disorders, Research diagnostic criteria