Related psycological factors in chronic temporomandibular disorder – literature review

Abstract

Pain is characterized as a multidimensional expression, involving quantitative, sensitive and emotional aspects. Orofacial pain is classified in those kinds of pain resulting from Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD), frequently related to chronic sintomatology. Such conditions are associated to various pathophysiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects. The objective of this literature review is to refer the main psychological factors that affect patients with chronic TMD, emphasizing the importance of the identification of emotional factors. The diagnosis depends on a careful clinic examination, aiming at an early diagnosis and the identification of the patient’s psychological factors with chronic TMD which are contributing to the onset or perpetuation of the disorder by increasing muscle activity, the presence of cognitive and behavioral factors. The most frequent psychological aspects in these individuals are depression and anxiety that is why they need interdisciplinary intervention because of their physical and psychological nature and need psychology for optimizing the dental treatment.