TEMPOROMANDIBULAR PAIN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME IN PATIENTS ATTENDING LAGOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, LAGOS, NIGERIA.

Background: Temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome (TMJPDS) is the most common temporomandibular disorder. This condition presents with symptoms of pain, restricted jaw movement and joint noise. Other symptoms include otalgia, headache, neck pain and trismus.

Aim: To determine the pattern of Temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome patients managed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.

Methodology: A descriptive study of patients with signs and symptoms of Temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome attending the Oral Medicine Clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Results: Twenty-one patients with Temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome were enrolled into the study, out of which 10(48%) were females and 11(52%) were males. The age range was 23-81years with a mean of 45.2 ± 18.9 years. Majority of the patients 20(95.2%) complained of pain around the joint, in the pre-auricular region, in the muscles of mastication and the ear. While 7(35%) complained of clicking sounds, 10(47.6%) complained of pain on mouth opening and during mastication only. In all 5(23.8%) had impaired movement of the jaws, mouth opening was normal in 18(85.7%) but reduced in 3(14.3%) patients. Over half of patients 12(57%) experienced clicking sounds, there was tenderness around the temporomandibular joint in 16(76.2%) cases, pain in the ear of 7(33.3%) patients and 13(61.9%) people presented with tenderness of the muscles of mastication. Conservative management of all the cases resulted in resolution of the symptoms.

Conclusion: Temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome has diverse clinical presentation and though distressing, it responds to prompt and effective conservative management.