Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Clinical
  • Published:

Temporomandibular Disorders: what does this mean for the dentist?

BDJ Student volume 28, pages 45–47 (2021)Cite this article

Maryam Butt, 5th Year Dental Student at King's College London

Orofacial pain is defined as pain within the trigeminal nerve system, which supplies general sensory innervation to the face, scalp and mouth. Such pain can be associated with pathological conditions of somatic or neurological structures, and is often chronic and multifactorial in nature.1 Insufficient knowledge of the aetiology, pathology and neurobiological mechanisms of chronic pain can lead to suboptimal diagnosis and mangement.2Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) refers to numerous conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and is often described as a chronic idiopathic orofacial pain, of non-odontogenic origin.1 TMDs are evolving to become one of the most commonly presenting orofacial pains to the dentist, and there is often a universal source of confusion when deciding upon how to manage these cases. It is therefore our responsibility to try to ascertain a certain knowledge in order to optimally manage such patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Orofacial Pain. Clinical information, Summary of Orofacial Pain. 2016. Online information available at: http://www.orofacialpain.org.uk/clinicians/ (accessed February 2020).

  2. Global Year Against Orofacial Pain. 2013.Online information available at: http://www.orofacialpain.org.uk/downloads/Orofacial%20pain%20patient%20leaflets/Orofacial_Pain.pdf (accessed February 2020).

  3. Teach Me Anatomy. The Temporomandibular Joint. 2019. Online information available at: https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/joints/temporomandibular/ (accessed February 2020).

  4. Durham, J. Oral surgery: part 3. Temporomandibular disorders. Br Dent J 2013; 215: 331-337.

  5. Orofacial pain. Temporomandibular Joint Disorders. Available at: http://www.orofacialpain.org.uk/education/temporomandibular-joint-disorders/ (accessed February 2020).

  6. Nishiyama A, Tsuchida E. Relationship Between Wind Instrument Playing Habits and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders in Non-Professional Musicians. Open Dent J 2016; 10: 411-416.

  7. Abouelhuda A M, Kim H S, Kim S Y, Kim Y K. Association between headache and temporomandibular disorder. J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg 2017; 43: 363-367.

  8. MSD Manuals. Internal Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Derangement. 2019. Online information available at: https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/dental-disorders/temporomandibular-disorders/internal-temporomandibular-joint-tmj-derangement (accessed February 2020).

  9. Dworkin S F, LeResche L. Research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders: review, criteria, examinations and specifications, critique. J Craniomandib Disord 1992; 6: 301-355.

  10. Durham J, Aggarwal V, Davis S et al. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD): an update and management guidance for primary care from the UK Specialist Interest Group in Orofacial Pain and TMDs (USOT). The Royal College of Surgeons. 2013.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. King´s College London, Great Maze Pond, SE1 1UL, London, UK

    Maryam Butt

Authors
  1. Maryam Butt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maryam Butt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Butt, M. Temporomandibular Disorders: what does this mean for the dentist? . BDJ Student 28, 45–47 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-020-0181-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-020-0181-3

Search

Advanced search

Quick links