The intensity of self-reported pain in undergraduate students with temporomandibulardisorder and symptoms of depression: A case-control study

Objective: To analyze the possible association of self-reported painful spots on the face between undergraduate students with temporomandibular disorder and depression. Methods: Analytical, cross-sectional, case-control study with 763 students from the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Maranhão. Thirty students were diagnosed with severe TMD (case group), which were matched by age and sex in a proportion of 1:2 with the control group: people without TMD diagnosis and without symptoms of depression. The case group and the control group were submitted to analysis of the painfulspots in the muscles and joints through the RDC/TMD axis I. Results: Of the 30 people with severe TMD, 63.3% presented myofascial TMD diagnosis and 36.7% of joint TMD. There was no significant difference (p >0.05) regarding the sex and the age between the case and control groups. However, it was observed a significant difference (p <0.05) in the painful symptoms, location of the pain, presence of articular noises and pain on palpation in the muscles and adjacent structures evaluated. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is a greater risk of developing musculoskeletal pain in TMD carriers with depressive symptoms when compared to individuals without TMD diagnosis and depressive symptoms.