A Systems Approach to the Understanding of TMJ as a Complex Disease

Tmj Association, Brookfield WI

Investigators

Abstract

The Fourth Scientific Meeting of TMJ Association, A Systems Approach to the Understanding of TMJ as a[unreadable] Complex Disease, is scheduled for September 11 and 12, 2006 at the Federation of American Societies for[unreadable] Experimental Biology in Bethesda, Maryland. Based on a 1989 national survey conducted by the National[unreadable] Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an estimated[unreadable] 10 million people in the United States have signs of temporomandibular diseases and disorders, commonly[unreadable] referred to as "TMJDs," with as many as 90 percent of treated patients being women in their childbearing[unreadable] years. Since little research had explored these problems, in the years 2000, 2002, and 2004 The TMJ[unreadable] Association, a national patient advocacy organization, planned and organized scientific meetings (cosponsored[unreadable] by agencies of the NIH) to assess the current state of the science and provide directions for future[unreadable] research. These highly successful meetings were held with the fundamental goal of enriching the pool of[unreadable] investigators directed to TMJ research by attracting experts from other fields and by stimulating the interest of[unreadable] young investigators in the emerging field. The summaries and future research recommendations of these[unreadable] meetings have been published. It is evident from these meetings that TMJDs fit the profile of a complex[unreadable] disease extending far beyond dysfunction and pain of the jaw joint. Therefore, the specific aims of the next[unreadable] proposed meeting are: 1. To convene expert clinical and basic scientists to characterize the multiple symptoms[unreadable] and co-morbid conditions found in TMJD patients (and exemplified by reports of patients attending the[unreadable] meeting) in order to develop research strategies based on an integrated and cross-disciplinary platform. The[unreadable] aim would be to combine resources from diverse fields to examine the etiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and[unreadable] treatment of patients with TMJDs from a new perspective, 2. To promote the participation of students and[unreadable] young clinical investigators through a Travel Award Program and encourage their involvement in discussions[unreadable] that reflect the challenges of pursuing the interdisciplinary studies necessary to advance understanding of[unreadable] TMJDs as a complex disease, and 3. To develop a compelling set of recommendations for research initiatives[unreadable] in TMJDs that would synergize the work of multiple Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health[unreadable] and that of academic health centers.