In this episode, Jaz dives into the complexities of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) management with Dr. Suzie Bergman, a US-based dentist and TMD sufferer. They discuss why treatments for TMD vary so much and examine the current state of evidence-based approaches.

https://youtu.be/r3QpkMYeTWk

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Dr. Bergman shares her personal journey, highlighting conservative treatments, the role of occlusal appliances, and the power of multidisciplinary care. But just when you think you’ve got it all figured out—Dr. Bergman reveals a game-changing insight that could completely shift your approach to TMD management. Ready to find out what it is?

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Highlights of this episode:

02:40 Protrusive Dental Pearl

04:32 Meet Dr. Susie Bergman: A Personal Journey with TMD

7:27 The Wild West of TMD Treatments

10:32 Challenges in TMD Research and Treatment

13:34 Suzie’s TMD Journey: From Trauma to Advocacy

21:42 Evidence-based Therapies and Occlusal Appliances

27:11 Orthodontics and TMD: A Complex Relationship

33:40 The Role of Occlusal Appliances

35:05 Debating Disc Displacement

39:17 Comprehensive TMD Diagnosis

44:09 Orthopedic Stability in Dentistry

51:04 Splints and TMD

53:52 Managing Bruxism Effectively

58:16 Suzie’s TMD Course and Final Thoughts

Listen to Dr. Suzie Bergman’s "Why is healthcare disjointed?" | TEDxStrathcona Women

Check out Dr. Suzie’s Course “21st Century TMD Protocols"

Looking for an Online course to allow General Dentists to treat 80% of TMD cases and 100% of Bruxists? Check out SplintCourse Online by Jaz Gulati 

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes B and C.

AGD Subject code: 200 Orofacial Pain (Diagnosis and treatment)

Dentists will be able to: 

1. Recognize the multifaceted nature of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and the various factors influencing treatment variability.

2. Evaluate current evidence-based treatments for TMD and their effectiveness, including conservative methods and occlusal appliances.

3. Discuss the importance of a collaborative approach in TMD management, integrating different specialties for optimal patient outcomes.

If you loved this episode, be sure to check out Deep in to TMD – An Orthopaedic Perspective – PDP172

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: I tell them T. A. T. U., which stands for Teeth Apart, Tongue Up, so during the day as much as possible, try to keep your teeth away from each other so that you're not clenching. I tell them, we want you to do the three S's, which are-

Teaser:I always tell people it's unrealistic with chronic pain patients to think that there will be a day that you go to zero in pain. I don't know what it's like to not be in pain. Some days might be a little bit better, but there's never a time that I'm not in pain. And part of that is because- When we have pain for so long, it can become a central nervous system issue. So when we have that central sensitization, our brain interprets non painful stimuli as painful.

We have patients who have discs that are either anteriorly and medially displaced, which is most common. It's very uncommon for there to be a posterior displacement of the disc. We have to think about how that patient's body has responded to the changes if the disc has been displayed. Some people will adapt beautifully and some people will not. And so, it's really about the individual patient.

Jaz's Introduction:The management of Temporomandibular Disorders is like the Wild West. I know for a fact that for the same issue you can go to one dentist who will suggest orthodontics, you can go to a surgeon who may suggest some form of surgery, even if it's like an arthrocentesis, you can go to another person they might suggest some botox to calm those muscles,