Systemic Factors in Temporomandibular Disorder Pain

Abstract

The science of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain and its management has gone through significant changes during the last several decades. The authors strongly feel that the effect of systemic factors influencing TMD pain has been largely overlooked and poorly accounted for, even in established pain-management programs and protocols. The hope is that this article will act as a wake-up call for the pain management community to consider the importance of adequate knowledge of the systemic factors that affect the experience of TMD pain by the patient.

Keywords: Arthritis; Autoimmune; Fibromyalgia; Musculoskeletal pain; Systemic factors; TMD; TMJ; Temporomandibular joint disorder.