ABSTRACT
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a heterogeneous set of clinical conditions characterized by pain in the masticatory and related muscles of the head and neck, the temporomandibular joint and associated hard and soft tissues; limitations in jaw function such as the inability to open one's mouth wide; and/or clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the temporomandibular joint (American Dental Association, 1983). Headache, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as changes in how the teeth articulate, or fit together, also may be associated with TMD. Among individuals seeking treatment for TMD, pain is the most common symptom (Dworkin, Huggins, et al., 1990).
