Factors associated with the oral health-related quality of life of patients with temporomandibular disorder after occlusal splint treatment

Objectives: To determine the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients after occlusal splint treatment, and to investigate the associated factors. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study comprised 227 TMD patients. The dependent variable was OHRQoL determined by telephone interview using the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. The independent variables were collected from dental record, comprising age, sex, treatment duration, clinical diagnosis, clinical parameters, and pain perception. The TMD patients were diagnosed as having masticatory muscle disorders (TMDM), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMDJ), or combined muscle and TMJ disorders (TMDC). Bivariate analyses were performed and multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the OHIP-14 score. Results The bivariate analyses demonstrated higher OHIP-14 scores in being younger, females, having TMDC, and lower mouth opening distance. The multivariable analysis demonstrated the association of higher OHIP-14 scores with being younger and having TMDC. The participants with TMDC demonstrated greater improvement in unassisted mouth opening distance, compared with the other clinical diagnosis groups. Conclusions After TMD treatment, oral health impact problems remained, but with low frequency. Better OHRQoL after TMD treatment was found in older and TMDC patients.