Temporomandibular joint dysfunction in primary school–aged children: a systematic review

Relevance. While the prevalence of temporomandibular joint dysfunction among adults is high, ranging from 25% to 83%, prevalence estimates in children range from 4% to 77%, with reported rates of 25% to 44.8% among prepubertal schoolchildren. While the majority of studies focus on the diagnosis and treatment of TMD in adults, an increasing number of publications address this condition in children. Objective. To assess the relevance and significance of temporomandibular joint dysfunction as a clinical problem among primary school–aged children based on available research evidence. Materials and methods. A systematic search and analysis of the available literature published over the past 15 years were conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and eLibrary.ru. A total of 2,127 publications were initially identified. After duplicate removal, 476 studies remained eligible for screening. Following the selection process, 24 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Results. Analysis of the reviewed literature indicates that temporomandibular joint dysfunction in children is a clinically relevant and increasingly recognized condition, with growing research interest in recent years. Considerable attention has been devoted to diagnostic approaches and etiological factors, whereas relatively few studies focus on therapeutic interventions for TMD among children. Conclusion. Greater attention to temporomandibular joint dysfunction in children is required. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate management approaches for children presenting with clinical manifestations of TMD.