FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1997
CONTACT:
Chris Martin; [email protected]
Jann Ingmire; [email protected]
312/440/2806
Women Nearly 10 Times as Likely as Men to Receive Jaw Surgery
CHICAGO - An analysis of insurance company claims revealed that women are almost 10 times more likely than men to undergo surgery to treat
temporomandibular disorders, or pain and discomfort associated with the
joint that serves as the hinge for the lower jaw. The study is
published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Dental
Association (JADA).
Researchers working with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey and Aetna Health Plans examined 46,293 patients with TMD-related
claims between 1991 and 1993, 1,666 of whom underwent at least one of 10
TMD surgical procedures and filed a reimbursement claim for the surgery.
Of these surgical patients, 1,500 were female and 166 were male,
creating a ratio of nearly 10 to 1.
The researchers found that the ratio of female to male TMD surgical
candidates is higher among the insurance company claims than a
previously reported estimate from health maintenance organization or
from the general population, both of which estimated that the ratio of
women to men with chronic facial pain was closer to 2:1.
Joseph J. Marbach, D.D.S. of UMDNJ said there are several explanations
for the wide gap between women and men and TMJ surgery.
"More women may seek treatment for TM disorders so it stands to reason
women would be more likely to become surgical candidates," he said. He
said another explanation might be that women who experience unsuccessful
non-surgical treatments may be more likely to persist in seeking
surgery. Finally, he pointed out that clinicians may recommend surgery
more often for women than men. Gender disparities for other surgical
procedures have been widely reported. For instance, men are more likely
to undergo coronary bypass surgery and kidney transplantation surgery
than women.
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