# Clinical associations of temporomandibular disorder and bruxism related symptoms with periodontal disease progression

## TL;DR

This study found no link between symptoms of temporomandibular disorders or bruxism and the progression of periodontal disease in patients.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that TMD or bruxism symptoms do not correlate with periodontitis progression.

## Key findings

- Patients with TMD or bruxism symptoms showed no significant difference in radiographic bone loss compared to those without.
- Tooth loss rates were similar between patients with and without TMD or bruxism symptoms.
- Regression models confirmed no association between TMD/bruxism symptoms and periodontal disease progression.

## Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse whether symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or bruxism were associated with the progression of periodontitis. A potential association could be explained by a decreased level of oral hygiene in patients presenting with orofacial pain.

148 patients diagnosed with periodontitis received individual department specific screening for symptoms of TMD or bruxism prior to initial treatment and were stratified into patients with symptoms related to TMD or bruxism (STMDoB = 30) and without symptoms (NO_STMDoB = 118). Progression of periodontitis was determined by tooth loss (TL) as well as radiographic bone loss (RBL), using longitudinal radiographic data with a follow-up of at least 5 years.

Patients presented with a median of 60 [52;68] years, 25 [21;27] teeth and a mean RBL of 50.5 ± 16.4% not showing difference among both study groups. Neither RBL [1.2 [0.0;6.0] % STMDoB vs. 2.9 [0.0;9.1] % NO_STMDoB, p = 0.165] nor TL [1 [0;3] STMDoB vs. 1 [0;3] NO_STMDoB; p = 0.195] differed significantly between both study groups, with equally low periodontal progression in both groups. Regression models revealed no association of any reported symptom of TMD or bruxism with periodontal progression (β: 9.07; CI: −4.09;22.23; p = 0.446 for RBL and rate ratio: 1.09; CI: 0.80;1.47; p = 0.587 for TL).

The present data showed no association of STMDoB with periodontal disease progression on the patient level.