Introduction: scientific evidence suggests that stress and psychological symptoms play an important role on diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate clicking in individuals with stress and different psychopathological symptoms.  Methods: we compared 30 college students who experienced clicking with 60 healthy control volunteers. The participants received the pss-10 and scl-90-r Spanish versions. Odds ratio (or) and 95% ci were calculated to determine the risk of these variables for the presence of clicking using logistic regression.  Results: stress was weakly associated with the occurrence of clicking (or = 1.35, 95% ci: 0.46-3.95, p = 0.57). Being an individual with stress and depression (or = 2.92, 95% ci: 0.61-14.0, p = 0.16) and anxiety (or = 2.80, 95% ci: 0.69-11.31, p = 0.13) may increase the risk of clicking. In addition, depression (or = 7.00, 95% ci: 0.66–74.28, p = 0.07) and anxiety (or = 4.90, 95% ci: 0.78 – 30.80, p = 0.07) adjusted by pain symptoms seem to be important variables for some subjects. The risk of clicking in students with anxiety-depression comorbidity and stress was higher (or = 2.11, 95% ci: 0.40-11.15, p = 0.37). Moreover, there was a different risk when this comorbidity, stress and pain symptom were present (or = 4.30, 95% ci: 0.35-51.90, p = 0.21).  Conclusion: depression, anxiety, stress and pain may be predictors for development of TMD such as clicking. In this sense, the measurement of those conditions in these patients should be a priority.

Introduction: to determine the prevalence of joint noise among 20-year-old university students in Pasto, Nariño, Colombia. Methods: The sample consisted of 173 individuals (77 men and 96 women), who were evaluated according to Temporomandibular Disorder Research Diagnostic Criteria (rdc/tmd Spanish version) Axis. Results: 36 individuals (20.8%) had joint noise; 32 (18.8%) were clicking and 4 (2%) had crepitation. The women/men ratio was 1.7:1 (p > 0.05). Individuals studying a health science career had a higher joint noise rate. In relation to joint noise characteristics, 24 temporomandibular joints (tmj) had clicking/crepitation at the reproducible aperture and 14 had clicking/crepitation at the reciprocal aperture. Additionally, 19 tmj had clicking/crepitation at the reproducible closure and 14 had clicking/ crepitation at the reciprocal closure. 18 (50%) students with joint noise had limited aperture; 68 (39.3%) students had muscular or joint pain when palpated; 17 individuals (47.2%) with joint noise had muscular or joint pain when palpated. Conclusion: The results show the clinical characteristics of joint noise among university students. The prevalence is similar to what is reported among other populations; there is an insignificant difference according to gender, and almost half of those with joint noise had muscular or joint pain when palpated. The presence of clicking is a good indicator of disk displacement with reduction.