Conservative temporomandibular disorder management: what do I do? − frequently asked questions

There are many myths and fallacies surrounding the conservative or non-surgical management of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).This paper is not a treatise on splint design and does not champion any one particular treatment philosophy. It is, however, produced as the outcome of many years of lecturing and talking to fellow practitioners and represents the most frequently asked questions and common misconceptions encountered by the authors, who have addressed the topics raised with the intention of helping to avoid pitfalls. The common symptoms encountered in general dental practice are pain, either from muscles or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) itself, limitation or deviation of mandibular movement, and joint sounds, and the authors have attempted to separate fallacy and fact. When appropriate examples are given. There are general treatment guidelines but, while some methods apply to an individual, there is no panacea - individual patient treatment needs vary