Kirsi Sipilä

DDS, PhD
Prosthetic Dentistry and Stomatognathic Physiology

Research Unit of Population Health
Faculty of Medicine

The research projects mainly focus on temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and facial pain- their epidemiology, background factors, diagnostics, and treatment. The epidemiological studies are mostly included in comprehensive, population-based Finnish studies (Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1996 and1986, Health 2000/2011, Healthy Finland Survey). The aims are to evaluate the prevalence of TMD, facial pain and bruxism, as well as their association with body pain, pain sensitivity, psychosocial factors, and genetic factors, among others. Research on TMD diagnostics aims to evaluate the applicability of the international, validated Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) in Finnish patient population. The current study of treatment of TMD comprises the effectiveness of applied relaxation on TMD pain, based on a randomized clinical trial. The sample of the study includes TMD patients from Finnish Student Health Service.

Research interests

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), facial pain; epidemiology, background factors, diagnostics, treatment

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Thesis supervisions

1. DDS Britta Haikola. Oral health in ageing Finnish people. University of Oulu, 2014.

2. DDS Anna-Sofia Silvola. Association of severe dental malocclusions with oral health related quality of life, facial pain and temporomandibular disorders. University of Oulu, 2014.

3. DDS Ulla Kotiranta. Temporomandibular disorder patients in primary care. Subtyping patients based on pain-related disability –a step towards individualized treatment. University of Eastern Finland, 2016.

4. DDS Pirkko-Liisa Tarvonen. Children’s Oral Health Promotion Programme in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, University of Eastern Finland, 2017.

5. MSc Tomi Miettinen. Suitability of a self-applicable electrode set for polysomnographic assessment of sleep bruxism in the home environment. University of Eastern Finland, 2019.

6. DDS Raija Vainionpää. Oral Health of Finnish prisoners. University of Oulu, 2019.

7. DDS Jaakko Paunonen. Orthognathic treatment: duration. long-term stability, effect on TMD and quality of life. University of Eastern Finland, 2020.

8. DDS Veera Qvintus. Temporomandibular disorders: prevalence of signs and symptoms and effects of stabilization splint treatment. Based on the Health 2011 Survey and a randomized controlled trial on adult Finns. University of Eastern Finland, 2020.

9. DDS Outi Huhtela. Temporomandibular disorders and bruxism in university students : prevalence, association with psychosocial background factors and effectiveness of applied relaxation. University of Oulu, 2019.

10. DDS Pekka Ahlholm. Digital techniques in restorative dentistry – attitudes among dentists, benefits of digital impression, and applicability of 3D printing. University of Eastern Finland, 2022.

11. BDS Aisha Banafa. Prevalence and biopsychosocial risk factors associated with temporomandibular pain: an 11-year follow-up study on Finnish adults. University of Eastern Finland, 2023.

12. DDS Maria Hietaharju. Psychosocial assessment of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) : suitability of the Finnish version of Diagnostic Criteria for TMD Axis II instruments. University of Oulu, 2023.

13. DDS Ossi Miettinen. Temporomandibular disorders: prevalence of symptoms and association with health behaviors and oral health-related quality of life. University of Oulu, 2023.

14. DDS Elisa Tervahauta. Occlusal characteristics, temporomandibular disorders, and oral health-related quality of life in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. University of Oulu, 2024.

15. DDS Jarno Knuutila. Temporomandibular disorders in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. The role of sociodemographic and health-related factors, pain sensitivity, genetics, and association with dental anxiety. University of Oulu, 2024.

Contact information

E-mail

kirsi.sipila@oulu.fi

Phone number

+358-50-3596888

Visiting address

Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu, Aapistie 3, 90220 Oulu, Finland

Postal address

Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu, Box 5000, 90014 University of Oulu, Finland

Keywords

epidemiology musculoskeletal diseases Northern well-being and health dental genetics oral health