Temporomandibular disorder in the oral and maxillofacial fields

A specific treatment method for TMD is not yet established, and it is impossible to conclude that there is a particularly good method; hence the need to select non-invasive, reversible treatment first. If pain and dysfunction continue, and conservative treatment does not work, prosthodontic, orthodontic, semi-surgical, or surgical treatment should be considered. The purposes of TMD treatment are decrease of pain and inflammation, decrease of muscle’s hyperactivity, prevention of mechanical overload on muscle and joint, and restoration of jaw function. There is a need to reestablish oral and maxillofacial surgeons’ concept of TMD based on these recent treatments. In other words, to treat TMD, we must understand that non-surgical conservative treatments such as counseling, medication, physical therapy, or splint therapy are required, and that we should pay attention to them. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons who consider only surgical therapy cannot hope to treat TMD.