Temporomandibular joint multidisciplinary team clinic

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is prevalent, often managed within oral and maxillofacial departments.
• Increasing subspecialist management highlights the need for focused TMJ care.
• Referrals to specialist clinics arise when conventional treatments fail.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of patients treated at a specialist TMJ multidisciplinary team (MDT) clinic.
• To assess the effectiveness of a coordinated, multi-specialist approach to TMJ dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Patients were reviewed by a coordinated team including oral and maxillofacial surgeons, oral medicine specialists, physiotherapists, and prosthetists.
• A 2-year review of patient outcomes was conducted.
• Data collected included pain scores, maximal incisal opening, and quality of life measures.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in patient-reported pain scores.
• Maximal incisal opening showed measurable improvement post-treatment.
• Quality of life outcome measures demonstrated positive changes following intervention.

Conclusions:

• A specialist TMJ MDT clinic model can significantly enhance patient outcomes.
• UK units managing TMJ disorders should consider establishing similar multidisciplinary clinics.
• Optimizing resource utilization and expertise within MDTs is key to maximizing TMJ patient outcomes.