PURPOSE: to check the occurrence of temporomandibular disorder in children from Monte Negro/RO, correlating the findings to the presence of harmful oral habits. METHODS: the study was conducted on 79 children aged form 6 to 11-year old (41 girls and 38 boys). The presence of temporomandibular disorder was investigated and classified into articular, muscular and mixed. The presence of harmful oral habits involving sucking (baby bottle, pacifier, finger/thumb sucking) and chewing (nail biting, biting objects, biting the oral or labial mucosa, bruxism and clenching) was also found. RESULTS: among the 79 investigated children, 27 (34.18%) showed symptoms of temporomandibular disorder, with highest periodicity of articular disorder (48.15%, n=13), followed by mixed (33.33%, n=9) and muscular disorder (18.52%, n=5). Harmful oral habits were found in 69.62% (n=55), mostly involving chewing habits (39.91%, n=26) followed by sucking (8.86%, n=7); some children showed both types of habits (27.85%, n=22). The results did not demonstrate any association among harmful oral habits and temporomandibular disorder according to the chi-square test, regardless of the type of habit (chewing or suction). CONCLUSION: one third of children evaluated (34%) presented symptoms of temporomandibular disorder, without any association between temporomandibular disorder and the presence of harmful oral habits.
Temporomandibular Joint; Child; Habits
