Description

We are using ecologically valid approaches to understand why some temporomandibular joints (TMJ) break-down and others do not. These approaches combine measurements to attain a “mechanobehavioral score” that assesses TMJ health and predicts potential for degenerative change and repair. The knowledge from this work should eventually lead to specific evidence-based preventive and therapeutic management strategies for TMD.

Learning Objectives:

• Define component factors that contribute to mechanobehavioral scores and how these are measured for personalized TMJ assessment.
• Distinguish differences between sub-groups of people with and without temporomandibular disorders.
• Evaluate technologies for characterizing jaw mechanics and behaviors.

Speaker(s):

• Jeffrey C. Nickel, DMD, MSc, PhD
• Laura R. Iwasaki, DDS, MS, PhD