Temporomandibular Disorders in Venezuelan and Italian Adolescents

Objective The aim of this research was to compare the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) among Venezuelan and Italian adolescents. Methods One hundred-seventeen Venezuelan and 138 Italian adolescents aged 11-18 years were examined according to the Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs (DC/TMD). Signs and symptoms were registered. Results TMD prevalence among Venezuelan adolescents (17.9%) was lower than that among Italian adolescents (29.7%) and was higher in females and in the 15-18 age group. Intra-articular disorders were the most frequent in Venezuelan (8.5%) and Italian adolescents (13.0%). Pain-associated disorders were more frequent in the 11-14 age group, while intra-articular disorders were more frequent in the 15-18 age group in both samples. Italian adolescents presented greater muscle pain and joint noise than Venezuelan adolescents. Conclusion TMD prevalence in Venezuelan adolescents was lower than that in Italian adolescents. This suggests the involvement of cultural and/or genetic factors in the etiology of these disorders.