Systemic ligament hypermobility in temporomandibular disorders

Abstract

Systemic ligament hypermobility (benign hypermobile joint syndrome or BHJS) and masticatory parafunction (clenching/bruxism) were evaluated in intracapsular TMD ( $\mathit{n}=110$ ) and non-TMD ( $\mathit{n}=112$ ) populations. Individuals that had a ligament mobility index greater than four were classified as benign hypermobile joint syndrome (BHJS) utilizing the modified Carter-Wilkinson systemic ligament hypermobility scale. All subjects in the TMD and control groups were female, between the ages of 10 and 79 with Angles’ Class I molars and cuspids. This study found Benign Hypermobile Joint Syndrome (BHJS) and masticatory parafunction, when present simultaneously in females, to be significantly associated with intracapsular TMD symptoms ( $\mathit{P}\mathrm{<}0.001$ ).