Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261441670
Vishal R Aggarwal, Agata Witkowska, Karina Lovell
{"title":"\"Nothing about us without us\": Co-production of and 'How To' implement a biopsychosocial supported self-management intervention for TMD.","authors":"Vishal R Aggarwal, Agata Witkowska, Karina Lovell","doi":"10.1177/20501684261441670","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20501684261441670","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) affect up to 1 in 15 people, significantly impairing daily function and quality of life. Despite clinical guidance recommending a biopsychosocial approach, treatment remains largely biomedical, often relying on occlusal splints or invasive procedures with limited evidence. This study describes a patient-centred, supported, self-management intervention for TMDs co-developed with patients, and its implementation into clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The intervention was co-developed with patients through syntheses of systematic reviews, qualitative research, and adaptation from a chronic widespread pain intervention. It incorporates a biopsychosocial framework including pain science education, jaw posture control, behavioural activation, cognitive restructuring, and habit reversal. The intervention guide is designed for remote delivery by a trained facilitator. It was evaluated in a proof-of-concept trial and service evaluation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The evaluation study (N=104) demonstrates the intervention's feasibility and efficacy for TMD, reducing pain, interference, and healthcare use. Patients favoured the personalised, remote, guided delivery. Key mechanisms included breaking physical/psychosocial vicious cycles using goal-setting, thus enabling patients to regain control and reverse unhelpful patterns.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The intervention aligns with biopsychosocial models of care, empowering patients with self-management skills to manage their TMDs. Its flexible, remote format enhances accessibility and environmental sustainability. By addressing key gaps in current pathways, this work also underscores the importance of patient co-design in producing acceptable, scalable, and effective health interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"92-99"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261442251
Ziad Al-Ani
{"title":"Temporomandibular Disorders: From Complexity to Clarity In Primary Dental Care.","authors":"Ziad Al-Ani","doi":"10.1177/20501684261442251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20501684261442251","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"4-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261445675
Ziad Al-Ani, Greg D Wilkie
{"title":"The anatomy and clinical relevance of temporomandibular joint sounds.","authors":"Ziad Al-Ani, Greg D Wilkie","doi":"10.1177/20501684261445675","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20501684261445675","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a uniquely complex, bi-articular joint that enables both rotational and translational mandibular movement. Joint sounds, such as clicking and crepitation, are among the most common clinical findings associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and frequently cause patient concern. Understanding the underlying anatomy of the TMJ, its fibrocartilaginous surfaces, articular disc morphology, and complex muscular attachments is essential to diagnosing the origin of these joint sounds. This article outlines the anatomy and clinical relevance of the TMJ to help clinicians adopt a conservative, evidence-based approach to the assessment of joint sounds, recognising that most are benign and self-limiting, while ensuring accurate diagnosis of sounds suggestive of internal derangement or degenerative change.</p>","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"62-67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-05-27DOI: 10.1177/20501684261442675
Emma Beecroft
{"title":"Brief Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular disorders (bDC/TMD): Simplifying examination and diagnosis for primary care.","authors":"Emma Beecroft","doi":"10.1177/20501684261442675","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20501684261442675","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Early, appropriate diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can influence the course of the condition and help to reduce symptoms. As most patients first present in the primary dental care setting, primary care clinicians should be able to recognise and diagnose TMD. The Brief Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (bDC/TMD), published in 2023, was developed to simplify assessment and diagnosis for dental clinicians. This article outlines the clinical assessment, examination and diagnostic steps within the bDC/TMD, and highlights its practical benefits for dental clinicians.</p>","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":" ","pages":"72-81"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148039109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261451074a
{"title":"The history of the College of General Dentistry: the formation of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners.","authors":"","doi":"10.1177/20501684261451074a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20501684261451074a","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"48-54"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261441685
Charles Crawford
{"title":"Using the Trismus Checklist to identify potential malignancy.","authors":"Charles Crawford","doi":"10.1177/20501684261441685","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20501684261441685","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The primary dental care team commonly encounters patients presenting with trismus as the result of various benign causes. Common among these causes are the range of temporomandibular disorder diagnoses. In a rare but significant number of cases the cause may be an underlying malignancy in which case urgent referral is mandatory. This article describes the implementation of the Trismus Checklist, a nine-item screening tool designed to improve patient safety by structuring the diagnostic process for trismus. Objective measurement techniques, including recording the intra-incisal distance, while emphasising the need to account for a pre-existing overbite or open bite are outlined. A passive stretch test is recommended to differentiate between myogenic limitations and mechanical obstructions. The routine use of the described Trismus Checklist helps safeguard clinicians against missing significant pathology. It is suggested that objective monitoring and follow-up are essential for all patients presenting with trismus, regardless of the initial suspected diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"100-104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Primary dental journalPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-06-25DOI: 10.1177/20501684261441690
Riaz Yar, Aditi Desai, Łukasz Lassmann
{"title":"Temporomandibular disorders and sleep medicine: implications for dental practice.","authors":"Riaz Yar, Aditi Desai, Łukasz Lassmann","doi":"10.1177/20501684261441690","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20501684261441690","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in patients with comorbid sleep-related conditions, specifically obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and sleep bruxism, while exploring their clinical interrelationships within an integrated dental care model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A narrative review of the existing literature was conducted to synthesise current evidence regarding the physiological and pathological links between sleep disordered breathing, neuromuscular jaw dysfunction, and nocturnal parafunctional habits.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This review demonstrates that TMD and sleep disorders are intrinsically linked, with sleep bruxism often acting as a potential protective mechanism for airway patency in OSA patients, while fragmented sleep exacerbates chronic TMD pain. Findings suggest that a \"siloed\" treatment approach often leads to sub-optimal outcomes. Conversely, an integrated diagnostic framework - utilising screening questionnaires alongside clinical TMD examinations - facilitates more accurate identification of these interrelated conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Effective management requires a shift from isolated dental interventions to a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach. By combining conservative measures, such as sleep hygiene and physiotherapy, with targeted therapies like mandibular advancement devices, dentists can significantly enhance oral rehabilitation success. Collaboration between dental professionals and medical sleep specialists is essential to ensure patient safety, optimise treatment sequencing, and improve the overall quality of life for patients presenting with this complex triad of disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":519951,"journal":{"name":"Primary dental journal","volume":"14 4","pages":"82-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}