title: Clinical presentation and final diagnosis of patients referred to a temporomandibular joint clinic.
abstract: The clinical presentation and final diagnosis of 182 consecutive patients referred to the Temporomandibular Joint Clinic at the University of Otago School of Dentistry over a 12-month period were reviewed. The definitive diagnosis utilised a classification based upon accepted pathological concepts. Thirty-six percent of patients had internal derangement of the TMJ, 33 percent had joint overload, 12 percent had an acute muscle disorder, 12 percent had degenerative joint disease, and 7 percent had other conditions including ENT disorders and pulpitis. Only six percent of patients underwent treatment involving occlusal modification or TMJ surgery. The remainder received a variety of conservative treatments confirming the widely held view that the majority of patients with a TMJ disorder can be managed with a variety of reversible therapeutic methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Denistry, Dunedin.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Crooks
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology