Association of Biopsychosocial, Clinical Factors and Polymorphisms in the BRINP3 and TNFAIP3 Genes with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction

Background. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction affects great part of the population, impacting their quality of lives, impairing function and conferring painful episodes. It has different etiologies being the most common psychologic, behavior, parafunction, anatomic and genetic factors. Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of biopsychosocial, clinical factors and genetic polymorphisms in the BRINP3 and TNFAIP3 genes with TMD. Methods. A sample of 226 female subjects was divided into case group, 95 patients with TMD, and control group, 131 patients without TMD. Age, ethnicity, smoking, student practice, use and history of use of orthodontic appliances, depression, anxiety, and genetic polymorphisms, were studied. Results. The mean age was lower in the case group (31.48 ± 11.52) than in the control group (37.57 ± 15.57) (p = 0.002). The history of orthodontic appliance use (p = 0.026) and depression (p = 0.007) were associated with TMD, with severe depression (52.6%) being more prevalent in the case group. For the variables ethnicity (p = 0.714), smoking habit (p = 0.331), student practice (p = 0.504), use of orthodontic appliance (p = 0.141) and anxiety (p = 0.084), as well as genetic polymorphisms, there was no association with TMD. In the multivariate model, the use of orthodontic appliances and the lowest mean age were associated with TMD, and depression was associated in a borderline way. Conclusion: lower mean age, history of orthodontic appliance use and depression, but not the polymorphisms studied were associated with TMD in the study population.