Global prevalence of temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Understanding the global prevalence and characteristics of a given health problem is essential for sizing its global and regional burden, estimating treatment needs, prioritizing healthcare services, and formulating targeted policies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the global prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) by gender, age, and continent, and the prevalence of specific categories such as myalgia, arthralgia, clicking/joint sounds, and limited mouth opening. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across three databases—PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science and supplemented by manual search up to June 2024. TMD diagnoses were based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) or Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD). Results: The database search yielded 15,628 records, from which 27 studies involving 20,971 subjects, including 6075 diagnosed with TMDs, were selected for final analysis. All meta-analyses utilized a random effects model. It is estimated that nearly a third of the global population (29.5%) suffers from TMDs. TMDs affected females at a significantly higher rate compared to males (36.7%versus 26.7%), representing a 1.75-fold greater likelihood among females. Prevalence among individuals under 18 years of age is 38.5%, compared to 34.1% in those 18 and older. TMDs are most prevalent in Europe (33.8%), followed by Asia (27.9%) and South America (27.3%); the lowest prevalence was in North America (19.4%). The most frequently reported signs and symptoms of TMDs are myalgia (37.2%), clicking/joint sounds (29.8%), and arthralgia (16.8%), with limited mouth opening/locking being the least prevalent (8.1%). Conclusions: TMDs represent a significant and largely unrecognized health burden. Although conducting further primary studies is urgent for confirmation, this current research underscores that TMDs might constitute a silent epidemic that has not garnered the urgent attention it deserves from healthcare providers, the local community, and researchers. The PROSPERO Registration: PROSPERO number is CRD42024583777.

Prevalence; Temporomandibular disorders; Female; Age; Myalgia; Arthralgia; South America; Meta-analysis

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