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TMJ RoundTable Update - June 2017

From the time of the June 16, 2016 meeting, until last month, progress has been slow. However, over the past couple of months we have the following accomplishments to share with you.

Pain Drawings: An Important Tool for Health Care Practitioners

Last year we shared with you a study in which investigators found patients with more severe and chronic TMD are likely to experience other persistent pain conditions in other parts of the body, seemingly unrelated to problems in the jaw or face. Yet patients often do not mention these "overlapping" or "comorbid" pain conditions when they see a dentist or health care provider.

Primary Temporomandibular Disorders and Comorbid Conditions

The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of the most common comorbid conditions associated with chronic temporomandibular disorders, and the pharmacological agents which play an integral role in the overall management of temporomandibular joint disorders. Abstract: INTROD

Overdiagnosis and Unnecessary Therapy

Many dental practitioners continue to use radiographic or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) as the sole means of establishing that there is a pathology present that requires treatment.

TMD Self-Management Programs

Self-management (SM) programs in temporomandibular disease (TMD) are a core component of pain management of TMD throughout its course and are often given to patients as a first essential step after diagnosis.

Introducing our TMD Nutrition Guide

  • Oct 23, 2016

The pain and jaw dysfunction associated with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) can impact your ability to chew and swallow food. How and what you are able to eat can seriously compromise your nutritional and health status - an aspect of TMD that is often overlooked by both patients and health care providers.

The TMJ Association (TMJA) asked patients their opinion on this topic. Here are a few comments we received:

"...Eating fruits, veggies, and health foods tend to be very hard on my jaw; I can get a headache just from eating an apple or a few carrots.  I would much rather sit around and eat mashed potatoes and not hurt..."

"...There are days I am so hungry, but I know the price I will pay if I 'chew' the wrong foods..."

"...My daily food choices are very limited, due to the possibility of my jaw locking up while chewing crunchy or chewy foods..."

Based on patient feedback, we found that there is a definite need to address nutrition and TMD. To help us, we enlisted the expertise of:

  • Patti Cobb, RD, CD, Chief Clinical Dietitian and Dena McDowell, MS, RD, CD, Registered Dietitian, both with the Food and Nutritional Services at Froedtert Memorial Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a teaching institution affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Joel Epstein, DMD, MSD, Consulting Staff, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, Collaborative Member, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and staff at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences Center in Los Angeles, California
  • Janelle Botez, TMD patient who encouraged us to undertake this project and offered her insight as a patient on the booklet content
  • Maureen Donahue who volunteered her time and talents in creating the booklet layout and design

With their expertise, we developed, "TMD Nutrition and You," a nutritional guide booklet specifically developed for people with compromised oral function to help them maintain a healthy diet in spite of their oral disability. Click here to download a free copy of our booklet or e-mail us your name and mailing address to receive a hard copy by mail.

Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to The TMJ Association.  As a nonprofit organization, we rely upon your contributions to carry out projects like this to help improve the lives of those we serve - TMJ patients.  

©2016 The TMJ Association, Ltd. All rights

TMJ Disorders

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