Temporomandibular disorders and bruxism in university students - prevalence, association with psychosocial background factors and effectiveness of applied relaxation
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
University of Oulu, Markku Larmas auditorium H1091 (Dentopolis, Aapistie 3): Remote access: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/66481770606?pwd=QWNLYlBEOXFaRjdESndNMjYrOW1sQT09
Topic of the dissertation
Temporomandibular disorders and bruxism in university students - prevalence, association with psychosocial background factors and effectiveness of applied relaxation
Doctoral candidate
DDS Outi Huhtela
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences
Subject of study
Odontology
Opponent
Professor Timo Närhi, University of Turku, Institute of Dentistry
Custos
Professor Kirsi Sipilä, University of Oulu, Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences
University students suffer from pain in masticatory muscles and psychological distress
In university students, pain in the masticatory muscles is more common and bruxism is at least as common as in the general population in Finland. According to the present study, the association between masticatory muscle pain and bruxism was clear and they shared common background factors like psychological distress, other bodily pain symptoms, and low general health.
Masticatory muscle pain appears as temporal headache, fatigue and pain in the jaws, and clicking noise in the jaw joints. Bruxism appears mainly during sleep as a nonvoluntary function of masticatory muscles and may cause in the long run wearing of the surface of teeth, shooting pain, and cracking of teeth.
An occlusal splint is used during sleep in the treatment of both masticatory muscle pain and bruxism. In the present study, the effectiveness of splint treatment was compared to an applied relaxation method. The results showed equal relief of masticatory muscle pain in the applied relaxation group as compared to the splint treatment group. However, the relaxation method was additionally beneficial in decreasing other physical symptoms, and bodily pain, and somewhat also in decreasing psychological distress. The impact on bruxism was not studied.
The present study was based on the nationwide University Student Health Survey, and a comparative treatment study implemented at the health care center of the Finnish Student Health Service in Oulu.
Masticatory muscle pain appears as temporal headache, fatigue and pain in the jaws, and clicking noise in the jaw joints. Bruxism appears mainly during sleep as a nonvoluntary function of masticatory muscles and may cause in the long run wearing of the surface of teeth, shooting pain, and cracking of teeth.
An occlusal splint is used during sleep in the treatment of both masticatory muscle pain and bruxism. In the present study, the effectiveness of splint treatment was compared to an applied relaxation method. The results showed equal relief of masticatory muscle pain in the applied relaxation group as compared to the splint treatment group. However, the relaxation method was additionally beneficial in decreasing other physical symptoms, and bodily pain, and somewhat also in decreasing psychological distress. The impact on bruxism was not studied.
The present study was based on the nationwide University Student Health Survey, and a comparative treatment study implemented at the health care center of the Finnish Student Health Service in Oulu.
Last updated: 1.3.2023