Unlocking the Mystery of TMJ and Craniofacial Pain

Most dentists have been exposed to very little or no Craniofacial/Orofacial Pain through their careers. There are very few dental schools who have included this topic into they dental curriculum even though Orofacial Pain is the newest recognized dental specialty. This 3-hour course will attempt to teach the general dentist some of the basic information so that the attendee will understand how to recognize most of the typical symptoms. We will cover Internal Derangements, muscle involvements and also some of the treatments typically used. This will allow the dentist to diagnose and provide appropriate referrals to a dentist who limits his practice to the treatment of this sometimes very complicated problem. Many patients go for years without a diagnosis and become a chronic pain patient that may overwhelm the healthcare system with their health issues. Hopefully, this will enable the dentists to become more of a complete diagnostician and help them become more valuable in the dental community.