TEMPOROMANDIBULAR PAIN AND DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME - HISTORY, PHYSICAL-EXAMINATION, AND TREATMENT

Effective treatment for temporomandibular pain and dysfunction syndrom e (TMPDS) requires accurate diagnosis and a flexible treatment armamen tarium. This article describes a method to obtain a medical history ba sed upon the biopsychosocial model advocated by Engel. It also suggest s how to carry out a physical examination. Treatment for TMPDS, a musc uloskeletal face pain syndrome, should be chosen from the same sources as are treatments for other musculoskeletal pain disorders, such as f ibromyalgia. Information is presented to aid the clinician regarding t reatment decisions.