Prevalence of arthrogenic temporomandibular-disorders in the elderly correlated to rheumatic-disorders?

Objectives: On the one hand, aims of this study were to evaluate gender related prevalences of TMD in elderly subjects and on the other, to analyse if disease, that comes along with changes of the bone structure are linked to joint related TMD. Methods: 198 subjects (102 male and 96 female) from the age group1930/1932 were examined in two German areas, Heidelberg and Leipzig. The examination included a dental record, a temporomandibular disorder assessment and a questionnaire. Four calibrated examiners performed the examination using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). Diagnostics were made without imaging, strictly according to RDC/TMD diagnosis. Statistics were performed using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U-Test) Results: During opening 10.6% presented clicking sounds, fine crepitus could be found in 4% and coarse crepitus in 3.5%. During closing, 10.1% showed clicking sounds. Fine crepitus was detected in 3.5% and 2.0% had coarse crepitus. More than eighty percent had no sounds during movements (81.3% during opening and 83.8% during closing). Male subjects evinced in 9.6% a disc displacement, 5.0% attested osteoarthrosis and 12.5% suffered from rheumatic disorders (anamnestic assessment). In female subjects disc displacement could be found in 12.6%, 8.8 % exhibited osteoarthrosis and 24.7% suffered from rheumatic disorders. Rheumatic disorders were not statistically significant associated with disc displacement (p=0.291) and osteoarthrosis (p=0.529). Gender was not identified as a statistically significant factor for disc displacement (p=0.337) and for osteoarthrosis (p=0.221). Nevertheless, the prevalences of rheumatic disorders were statistically significant higher in women (p=0.034). Conclusion: Although rheumatic disorders can come along with changes of the bone structure, they are not correlated to disc displacement or osteoarthrosis in the temporomandibular joint. Furthermore, gender has no statistically significant influence on disc displacement and on osteoarthrosis in elderly subjects.