Purpose
: To verify the relationship between voice disorder and temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) in elementary and middle school teachers.
Methods
: The participants of this study were 138 teachers - 96 women and 42 men, with a mean age of 38 years. The teachers responded to a questionnaire with five questions on voice disorder and temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms. The data were analyzed using an association test (Chi-square) to verify the association between voice disorder and temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms, as well as the relationship of the symptoms with sex and age.
Results
: The temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms reported by the teachers, from the most to least frequently mentioned, were as follows: headache or facial pain, pain at the end of the day, and pain when speaking excessively. The results showed a statistically significant difference for the symptom pain when speaking excessively, pain at the end of the day, and temporomandibular joint snap in teachers without voice disorder. A statistically significant difference was observed for the female sex, regarding temporomandibular dysfunction. Temporomandibular dysfunction was more frequently reported than voice disorder, with higher incidence in female than in male teachers.
Conclusion
: The findings showed a statistical association between voice disorder and temporomandibular dysfunction in teachers. Further studies with integrated clinical assessment on the relationship between voice symptoms and TMD in different age groups are warranted.
Voice; Voice disorders; Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome; Facial pain; Articulation disorders