TMD in vocalists

Abstract

Singing is not associated with reports of TMD pain and TMJ sounds, after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. Singing is frequently mentioned as a risk factor for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). This study investigated whether vocalists report a higher prevalence of TMD pain and temporomandibular joint sounds compared with instrumentalists who do not load their masticatory system while performing. A total of 1,470 musicians from 50 different music ensembles completed a questionnaire. Of these, 306 vocalists and 209 musicians were enrolled in the control group. The prevalence of self-reported TMD pain among vocalists was 22%, as compared to 12% in the control group. Of the vocalists, 20% reported TMJ sounds versus 15% of the controls. The multiple regression models indicated that being a vocalist was not a risk indicator for the presence of self-reported TMD pain or TMJ sounds. Instead, it appeared that the report of TMD pain among musicians was positively associated with female gender, next to the level of physical workload, depicted as frequency of oral behaviours and the hours of daily practice.