[Conservative and surgical treatment possibilities in temporomandibular joint diseases]

For the most frequent TMJ derangements, highly efficient nonsurgical treatment is preferable. Within this concept, the interdependence between the TMJ and the jaw musculature is increasingly focussed. Surgical therapy is only an option under defined circumstances in cases resistant to nonsurgical treatment, or if nonsurgical treatment is meaningless from the beginning. Within surgical concepts, arthroscopy is becoming increasingly important. A close interdisciplinary cooperation between the dentist and oral and maxillofacial surgeon seems to improve the potential outcome in these cases.