TMJ: The Research

Why is research about TMJ so important?

Temporo-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction, commonly called TMJ, affects over 10 million people in the United States.

Louis Abbey, DMD:

Louis Abbey taught Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of dentistry in Richmond, VA for 33 years. He has retired to the Boston area and is teaching at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and consulting with a pathology laboratory.

Almost all dental (and some non-dental) practitioners have the opportunity to deal with TMJ: general dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, ENT specialists, pharmacists, neurologists, dental hygienists and psychiatrists and psychologists. The field is loosely defined and patients get referred around. This results in a lot of frustrated practitioners. The confusion and rejection patients may feel likely just adds to their problem.

However, there are experts in TMJ who like the challenge. I would be very interested in knowing more about the research that is being done. TMJ is a difficult area to investigate because of the lack of a clearly defined disease process, the lack of a focus of practitioners who treat the problem and the confusing body of existing knowledge of etiology, pathogenesis and treatment.