PURPOSE: to check the occurrence of bruxism in female gender adult subject, with temporomandibular jaw dysfunction and its association with the level of temporomandibular symptoms. METHODS: 28 women, with ages between 19 and 56 years, who had temporomandibular jaw dysfunction and had not been submitted to a preview treatment, made part of this study. All subjects answered a questionnaire written by Fonseca et al (1994) entitled Anamnesic Index, that enabled us to classify temporomandibular jaw symptoms level and also to check the symptoms of this oral parafunction behavioral bruxism; the subjects were submitted an odontological evaluation, that was composed by an exam of masticatory muscles, though the digital touch in the oral and extra-oral muscles, examination in the temporomandibular joint and a teeth examination. The results were analyzed in a descriptive form, and in order to check the relationship between the severity level of temporomandibular dysfunction with the bruxism occurrence Independent Square-Qui test and the Fisher test were used with a statistic significance of 5%. RESULTS: it was observed the parafuntional habit was presented in 50% of the cases with temporomandibular dysfunction. It wasn't possible a relationship between bruxism and the level of symptoms in temporomandibular jaw dysfunction, by Anamnesic Index. CONCLUSION: the results of this study suggest that subjects with symptoms of temporomandibular jaw dysfunction must be asked and evaluated about bruxism, regardless of the level of temporomandibular dysfunction. Besides this, it is important to investigate the diagnosis and the treatment of bruxism also in patients without temporomandibular jaw dysfunction in order to prevent development of lesions in the temporomandibular joints and the other structures of the stomatognatic system.
Bruxism; Facial Pain; Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome
