INVESTIGATION AMOUNT OF MAXIMUM MOUTH OPENING AND ASSOCIATION WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDERS IN TURKISH ADULT POPULATION

Objectives: the aims of this study were to estimate the amount of maximum mouth opening in turkish adult population, and to compare mouth opening in patients with and without symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome. material and methods: maximum mouth opening was measured and questionnaire data collected from 551 men and 504 women (1055 adults), aged 16–72 years. age, gender, presence of temporomandibular joint pain on palpation, tenderness of masticatory and neck muscles on palpation, type of bite, presence of temporomandibular joint sound, and a history of attendance of physician or dentist because of trouble with the jaw joint were all recorded. results: the amount of maximum mouth opening was measured as 50.38 mm for males and 46.35 mm for females. 32 patients had open bite, 594 patients had normal bite, and 429 patients had deep bite, and their mean mouth opening is 52.53mm, 48.62 mm, and 47.09 mm, with respectively. conclusions: we found relation between reduced tenderness of at least one masticatory or neck muscles, mouth opening with temporomandibular joint pain, and type of bite. however sound from temporomandibular joint was not found an evidence of limited mouth opening. amount of mouth opening was found significantly different within groups of temporomandibular joint pain on palpation, and attendance to doctor or dentist suffering from jaw joint groups.