Prevalence and impact of lateral cephalometric characteristics in malocclusion patients diagnosed with temporomandibular disorders using DC/TMD axis I and its correlation with axis II

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common conditions affecting the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joint, and associated tissues. The literature indicates that TMD is more prevalent in women, potentially influenced by hormonal, anatomical, and psychosocial factors. In this study, 102 patients who presented to the Faculty of Dentistry at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University with complaints of muscle pain were evaluated based on DC/TMD diagnostic criteria. The relationships were analyzed using lateral cephalometric measurements. While no significant relationship was found between pain and gender or educational level, a significant difference was observed between occupation and pain; bilateral pain was more frequently seen in private sector employees. In psychosocial evaluations, a significant relationship was identified between anxiety and both right and left muscle pain. A statistically significant difference was also observed between pain status and Oral Behavior Checklist scores. However, no significant relationship was found between pain and depression or somatization . Although a significant difference was observed in median Occ-GoMe values in relation to pain status in cephalometric analyses, this difference was not found to be statistically significant in multiple comparisons. In conclusion, TMD appears to have a multifactorial nature,with occupation and anxiety identified as contributing factors. Nonetheless, the literature on the relationship between muscle pain and skeletal structures remains limited. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify this issue.