Orthodontics and the temporomandibular joint: What orthodontic providers need to know

Currently, there are three major groups of dentists who provide orthodontic services to the public: postgraduate trained orthodontists, postgraduate trained pediatric dentists, and general dentists who have taken various orthodontic training courses. All of them can expect to encounter a variety of clinical situations that require a proper understanding of how normal temporomandibular joints (TMJs) function, and also how the masticatory system can develop pain-dysfunction problems; those problems are classified and defined as temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). In this paper, six "intersections" between these groups of practitioners and those clinical situations will be discussed, with an emphasis on practical approaches to managing problems that may arise during orthodontic treatment. Specific recommendations are offered to help clinicians recognize clinical problems and to deal with them successfully.