Common errors in the management of temporomandibular disorders

Content
Despite many years of basic and clinical research, clinicians are still having difficulty managing many patients with temporomandibular disorders. As a result, one constantly sees new methods of treatment being proposed. However, a critical analysis of the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to the management of such patients indicates that it is not a lack of therapeutic modalities but rather it is errors in the application of these methods, or the selection of the wrong procedures, that appears to be the problem. This presentation will discuss the six areas in which clinicians frequently make mistakes that lead to treatment failure. These include history taking, clinical examination, imaging procedures, establishment of a correct clinical diagnosis, selection of proper therapy and correctly performing treatment The importance of addressing the etiology of the problem rather than just the managing the symptoms will be emphasized. An understanding of these common errors in diagnosis and treatment should enable the clinician to more effectively manage those patients who present with temporomandibular disorders.