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BASIC STEPS FOR HOME CARE OF FACIAL PAIN This pamphlet will help the patient with pain in the face and jaw control their symptoms. Symptom management is not a substitute for definitive care. Even if you find that some of these suggestions improve your pain level, it is strongly suggested that you seek care from a knowledgeable dentist.

WHAT IS "TMJ"? The term "TMJ" has been used in magazine articles and on television as if it designates a distinct, well-defined disorder. This is not the case and understanding that the term is used to identify a broad class of disorders will help you begin to understand your condition. This pamphlet will begin to help in that understanding. A full evaluation by a knowledgeable dentist will make that even more clear for you.

THE JAW SYSTEM — HOW IT WORKS This pamphlet describes the uniqueness of the jaw system, both the structural and the functional features that are poorly understood by many in the health care community. It also describes some of the problems that can develop that can lead to pain and dysfunction within the system.

HOW YOUR BITE MAY AFFECT YOUR PAIN Although problems with the dental occlusion (bite) are certainly not the only potential contributors to problems such as pain in the jaw system, these bite problems clearly are one of the major contributors. Dental education provides little on this kind of problem. Many dentists feel quite inadequate to properly evaluate such conditions. A knowledgeable dentist who focuses on these problem is most likely to recognize such conditions when they exist.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF MY APPLIANCE? You have been fitted with an occlusal appliance. It has been designed to address the specific nature of the problem that brought you to this office. So that you can appreciate what it can do for you, this pamphlet will explain its role in the management of your temporomandibular disorder.

A REFERRAL FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY Patients who are referred for physical therapy as an adjunct to treatment of their pain often ask what role physical therapy will play. This pamphlet is designed to provide an overview of the role of physical therapy in the rehabilitation of masticatory pain and dysfunction.