ABSTRACT
The art and science of the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1920s. Since then, many treatment philosophies have come and gone. Often patients have been bounced from one treatment discipline to another, leaving them feeling rejected, ignored, and depressed, with little effective resolution of their pain. There have been many attempts to find the “solution” to this baffling problem in both dentistry and medicine. The truth of the matter is there is not a single solution to TMJ dysfunction because it is not a single entity; rather, it is a group of problems from different etiologies lumped under one broad and often generic diagnosis. The most effective way to help patients suffering from head, neck, and facial pain, collectively called TMJ dysfunction, is for all practitioners of the arts to work together to achieve an accurate diagnosis and resulting management. The technology, knowledge, and training exist to bring all professions together to assist in the alleviation of head, neck, and facial pain.
