TMD Management: Who, What, Where, When, Why?

You know it’s a TMD and you’ve got the reins!  Which case is for you, the specialist, or a multi-modal team approach?

This day focuses on mastering efficient triage techniques for swift TMD patient assessment, allowing practitioners to quickly identify and categorise various presentations. Participants will explore comprehensive management strategies across the spectrum of TMD presentations including case studies. The programme aims to enhance patient outcomes by equipping dental professionals with targeted, evidence-based treatment approaches, ensuring timely and effective care for their patients with temporomandibular disorders.

Overview of pain, susceptibility to sensitization and chronicity and importance to consider this in patient presentation
Presented by Alison Sim (Osteopath and Pain Researcher)
This session will explore how pain can shift from an acute warning signal to a persistent condition through processes such as central sensitisation. We’ll examine why some patients are more vulnerable to chronicity, and how these mechanisms may present in dental practice. Recognising these factors is vital for improving assessment, guiding communication, and tailoring care to reduce long-term impact

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the mechanisms of pain sensitisation and their role in the transition from acute to chronic pain.
• Identify patient factors that increase susceptibility to persistent pain in dental practice.
• Recognise clinical presentations that may indicate sensitization or heightened pain vulnerability.
• Apply strategies for communication and management that acknowledge these processes and support better patient outcomes.

What is TMD, What can the Dental team do, and What is the role of Oral Medicine?
Presented by Anita Lim (Oral Medicine Specialist)
In this lecture, participants will learn skills to differentiate TMD from other orofacial pain presentations, conduct a TMD examination, and formulate TMD diagnoses. Current physical and pharmacological techniques for the treatment of TMD will be introduced. Finally, patient factors for consideration and when to refer Oral Medicine will be discussed.
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Gain an overview of different orofacial pain presentations and tools to differentiate TMD-related pain
• Conduct a TMD examination and diagnose different types of TMD
• Understand current physical and pharmacological techniques for the treatment of TMD

Physiotherapy Roles in TMDs, matching interventions each individual
Presented by Dr. Jayce Gilbert
​​​​​​Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), like many musculoskeletal conditions, are multifactorial and lack a single gold-standard biomarker for diagnosis. This lecture outlines how physiotherapists integrate physical, somatosensory, sensorimotor and psychosocial assessment to design precise, individualised and reversible treatment plans. Using clinical reasoning examples, we will explore first-line reversible management strategies, clarify when referral to physiotherapy is indicated, and show how physio integrates with dental care in a multimodal approach.
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the role of physical management in TMD
• Implement multimodal care with physiotherapy
• Implement exercise strategies for TMD sufferers

TMJ surgery: are we doing too much or too late?
Presented by Dr Ricky Kumar
In this lecture participants will learn about:

• Delayed surgical referrals 
• Overuse of arthroscopy 
• Underuse of TMJR
• Complications of TMJR 
• Evidence based TMD management 

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the appropriate referral parkways 
• Gain an understanding of role of surgical management in appropriate cases.
• Understand the appropriate use of TMJ replacement 
• Appreciate the use of technology in custom joint use.

CPD hours: 3 clinical hours

RSVP by Thursday 29/10/2026

Please note: Photographs may be taken at this event and used on the ADAVB website, social media or publications to promote ADAVB events and ADAVB membership. Please advise cpd@adavb.org if you do not wish to be photographed.