# Temporomandibular Disorders: Management of Diagnostics and Therapy in the Context of Orthodontic Treatment—A Survey Among German Orthodontists

## TL;DR

German orthodontists often include TMD diagnostics in their treatment routines, with specialization influencing procedures more than experience.

## Contribution

This survey reveals how German orthodontists integrate TMD diagnostics into treatment planning and highlights the impact of specialization.

## Key findings

- Most orthodontists perform TMD screening or functional analysis.
- Specialization in TMDs influences clinical procedures more than professional experience.
- Non-painful joint clicking affects treatment planning for over 60% of respondents.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the role of temporomandibular disorder (TMD)-related diagnostics in orthodontic treatment routines and investigate what consequences are drawn from symptoms concerning orthodontic treatment planning and therapy. Methods: All officially listed orthodontists in Germany were surveyed about their professional background, TMD-related specialization, and concrete clinical procedures. Anonymized responses were systematized, manually checked, and statistically analyzed. Differences in reported TMD-related procedures depending on orthodontists’ professional experience and specialization were determined using Fisher’s exact tests. Results: A total of 2359 questionnaires were sent out, of which 630 could be evaluated. The majority of the orthodontists surveyed stated that they perform either a brief TMD screening or a complete functional analysis. In total, 21.1% of the respondents base their examination on the patient’s medical history. A second complete functional analysis is performed by 33% of the responding orthodontists during the course of orthodontic therapy, and by 56.6% only in the case of an initial pathological finding. For 60.1% of the respondents, pre-therapeutically diagnosed, non-painful temporomandibular joint clicking has an influence on orthodontic treatment planning. Only 4.3% of respondents take no further action prior to orthodontic therapy in the case of TMD symptoms. There is an indication that professional experience has no influence on the procedure, whereas a specialization in the field of TMDs does. Conclusions: A discrepancy between the current state of research and standard procedures in German orthodontic practices may lead to an overly detailed examination. However, this has no health disadvantages for the patient.