Summary
Temporomandibular disorders comprise a group of pathologies that affect the temporomandibular joints, as well as the masticatory muscles and related structures. These conditions generally cause pain and difficulty in jaw functions, increasing disability in people. Its prevalence is 6 to 9 % worldwide, in Chile it reaches 19.6 %. Providing timely and quality treatment is essential in this type of pathology, since it prevents chronification, facilitating diagnosis and treatment. For this, it is necessary to have an adequate response from the health systems to meet the demand for care from the population. To evaluate this aspect, it is necessary to know the status of the Waiting Lists, waiting times and offer of the specialty in the health system. There are few studies that investigate these aspects in the specialty of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. Therefore, it is necessary to know and evaluate them, in order to plan improvements for the future. This study describes the changes that have occurred regarding the specialty of Orofacial Pain in the last 5 years in the Chilean public health system.
KEY WORDS: public health, temporomandibular disorders, orofacial pain, waiting list.
How to cite this article
ABARZÚA, P.; VILLEGAS, M. & LÓPEZ, J. Temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain specialty in the Chilean public health system: Changes 2018-2023. Int. J. Odontostomat., 18(3):343-350, 2024.
