Temporomandibular disorders: a clinical update

Temporomandibular disorders is a collective term used to describe a number of related disorders affecting the temporomandibular joints, masticatory muscles, and associated structures, all of which have common symptoms such as pain and limited mouth opening. General practitioners will sometimes see patients who present with either persistent or recurrent chronic facial pain. Having eliminated the possibility of headache or ear or sinus problems, the next step is to consider the possibility of temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction, particularly if the pain is accompanied by clicking jaw joints and limited mouth opening. This article reviews the clinical features of temporomandibular disorders and details current treatments for these. This review is based on my clinical experiences derived from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, where I have developed a special interest in the management of patients with temporomandibular disorders. The published reports I have selected are from those I have collected over many years. For the Medline search, I use the following keywords: temporomandibular …