Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction in a cohort of women with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) is characterized by the presence of signs and symptoms that lead to functional changes in this joint. Most of the times with a multifactorial etiology, it can be associated to systemic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  Objectives: to evaluate the prevalence of TMD in a cohort of women with RA, as well as possible links between its presence and disease activity and duration, smoking and frequent consumption of chewing gum, compared with a control group of healthy controls.