Temporomandibular disorders-related clinical signs and oral behaviors in psychiatric patients: A case-control study

Objective To investigate temporomandibular disorders (TMD)-related clinical signs and oral behaviors in psychiatric patients compared with healthy controls.Methods A case-control study included 129 participants (79 psychiatric patients and 50 controls). The psychiatric patients were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (29.7%), post-traumatic stress disorder (24.2%), major depression (12.5%), schizophrenia (20.5%), or obsessive – compulsive disorder (13.1%). TMD-related signs, including muscle/joint sensitivity, mandibular function, TMJ sounds, oral behaviors, and dental attrition were assessed.Results Psychiatric patients showed significantly higher muscle sensitivity, TMJ tenderness, reduced mandibular opening, increased TMJ sounds, oral behaviors, and dental attrition (p < .01). Clinical signs suggestive of muscle-related TMD were more frequent in psychiatric patients (64% vs 10%). Oral behaviors were reported by 49% of psychiatric patients and 10% of controls (p < .01).Conclusions Psychiatric patients demonstrated a higher prevalence of TMD-related clinical signs, particularly findings suggestive of muscle-related TMD, as well as increased oral behaviors compared with healthy controls.