Prevalence of traumatic stressors in patients with temporomandibular disorders

Prevalence of major traumatic stressors in chronic temporomandibular disorder patients is high. The greater distress on all psychological domains in patients endorsing major traumatic events may be a reflection of inadequate coping skills in these individuals. Therapy should be oriented toward the resolution of accompanying stressors such as depression, anxiety, and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.