Associations between temporomandibular disorder subtypes and oral health-related quality of life: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To assess associations between temporomandibular disorder (TMD) subtypes and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) using meta-analysis. A systematic search of MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library identified studies up to 6 March 2024 using DC/TMD for TMD diagnosis and OHIP-based OHRQoL outcomes. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were pooled, and sensitivity analyses were performed. Five studies comprising 3,267 participants were included. Compared with intra-articular TMD (IT), pain-related TMD (PT) and combined TMD (CT = PT + IT) were associated with poorer overall OHRQoL (SMD = 0.74, P < 0.001 for PT; SMD = 0.84, P < 0.001 for CT). Direct comparison showed CT had a more pronounced negative impact than PT (SMD = 0.13, P < 0.01). PT and CT also showed greater impairments in functional and psychosocial OHRQoL domains. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of findings. Patients with PT and CT symptoms exhibit significantly greater impairments in overall and domain-specific OHRQoL compared with those with IT symptoms, despite the limited number of studies included, highlighting the need for tailored treatment strategies based on TMD subtype. PROSPERO (CRD42024544762).