Dentists’ awareness about methods of diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorders

The prevalence of patients with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) at dental appointments is quite high. Dentists’ knowledge of the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic and treatment methods of this pathology contribute to early detection and effective treatment of TMD. Aim — to study the awareness of dentists of the Udmurt Republic of the signs and symptoms, diagnosis and management of TMD. Materials and methods. An anonymous survey of 232 dentists of the Udmurt Republic of various specialties was conducted. The questionnaire included 20 questions concerning the prevalence, etiology, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnostic and treatment methods for patients with TMD, and the need of dentists for additional education in TMD. Results. 37.1% of dentists answered that the frequency of patients with signs of TMD at their reception is from 10 to 20%. At the same time, questions to identify TMD are asked by 56.5% of dentists. Only 10.3% of dentists identified all the clinical symptoms characterizing this pathology. 32.3% of dentists noted all possible etiological factors of TMD. Palpation of the maxillofacial region and determination of the degree of mouth opening are performed by 44.0% and 46.6% of dentists, respectively. Treatment of this category of patients is carried out by 12.5% of doctors, mainly dental surgeons. The most frequently prescribed are pharmacotherapy (75.9%), physiotherapy methods (69.0%) and selective grinding (58.6%). The average score of knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics of the dental system of all participants according to the results of self-assessment was 2.78±0.19 on a five-point scale. 81% of dentists would like to improve their knowledge in TMD. Conclusion. The survey revealed an insufficient level of knowledge among dentists of all specialties about the signs and symptoms, methods of diagnosis and treatment of TMD. There is a high need to continuing education in the diagnosis and management of TMD among dentists.