Abstract

General Concepts of Good TMD Practice

by Manfredini Daniele

In the imaginary of the dental practitioner, the field of “gnathology” has always been associated with doubts and concerns related with the difficulties to understand how to apply clinically the old concepts of an ideal dental occlusion and condylar position as pre-requisites for a good stomatognathic function. Actually, the orofacial pain practitioners working according to basic evidence-based practice are well aware that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is “just” one of the joints of the human body, and not a dangerous entity menacing the outcome of oral rehabilitations or impossible to manage clinically. Patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) should be assessed within a biopsychosocial framework. In the absence of trauma or systemic or primary conditions, they are often individuals who use the stomatognathic system as a target organ to cope with their emotions and vigliance. During the recent General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), an expert panel prepared a guideline document that lists some simple key points for the good temporomandibular pratctice. The aim is to clarify once and for all that the TMD practice is easier than believed, that certain instrumental and occlusally-based approaches do not have any biological background, and that the scientific community has the burden of protecting patients from any potential misinformation and overtreatment. The document, which in Italy has been mainly diffused by the Orofacial Pain Academy/Italian Study Group on Orofacial Pain and TMD (GSID), will represent the backbone of this precongress course, focused on the discussion of some clinical cases that will show the daily practice of an orofacial pain practitioner.

Learning Objectives

After this lecture, you will be able to understanding the good TMD practice
After this lecture, you will be able to realising that the TMJ is not different from other joints as far as the physiopathology is concerned
After this lecture, you will be able to referring your "gnathological" patients properly