Occurrence of temporomandibular disorder symptoms in healthy young adults with and without evidence of bruxism.

Few studies have specifically examined the association between bruxism and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in adults. In this study 569 freshmen dental students entering the Medical College of Georgia over a 10-year period completed an 18-item "yes/no" questionnaire relating to awareness of tooth clamping/clenching/grinding and signs and symptoms of oral, facial, and craniomandibular discomfort, pain, and disorders. A higher proportion of females than males reported that they were aware of clamping and clenching their teeth, as well as symptoms of stiff jaw, sore jaw or teeth, cracking or locking jaw joint, and headaches in the morning. Reported awareness of tooth clamping and clenching and of someone having heard tooth grinding was significantly associated with reported pain, discomfort, or other sensations in, in front of, or behind the ear in the overall subject group.