Prevalence of, and disability approaches to, temporomandibular joint trauma: a 17-year cross-sectional study

Background/Aim: Sociodemographic, cultural and environmental factors play significant roles in orofacial trauma. The main aim of the present work was to study the epidemiological data regarding temporomandibular trauma, in the orofacial trauma context. Secondly, follow-up data between injury and sequelae were assessed, in the medico-legal approach for this disability. Material and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study, from 2000 to 2017, was performed, using the clinical reports of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences Institute of Portugal—Coimbra Central Branch. A descriptive analysis was performed. Results: The injury group, 8.9% of the analysed population (2622 reports), included a majority of men (60.7%) with a mean age of 33.9 years. They were mainly students or retired (38.9%) and reported physical violence as the main external cause (56.4%) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) trauma occurred with dental and facial trauma (84.2%). The sequela group, 2.9% of the analysed population, included a majority of men (65.6%) with a mean age of 40.1 years, focusing on a professional active population. They reported physical violence as the main external cause (46.3%) and TMJ (13.2%), soft tissues and teeth (12.8%) sequelae. Conclusions: Not all TMJ injuries corresponded to sequelae (63.4%). The sequela resulting from TMJ trauma encompass soft and hard tissues and TMJ sequelae, isolated or not. Physical violence was the primary external cause of TMJ injuries in both groups. Conversely, road accidents were the major external cause of isolated TMJ sequelae, highlighting the need to reinforce safety measures.