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Prevalence Case studies The temporomandibular joint Common disorders Rare disorders The Articulatory system Examination: Joints Examination: Muscles Examination: Occlusion Interactive diagnosis	Common disorders Pain Dysfunction Syndrome This is the most common condition suffered by patients with a temporomandibular disorder, incorporating two or more of the following signs and symptoms: Pain on palpatation of the TMJ Pain on palpatation of the associated muscles Limitation or deviation of mandibular movement Joint sounds Headache (though this and joint sounds alone are not indicative of TMD) Osteoarthrosis Characterised by: Joint sound due to crepitation (degeneration within surfaces of the joint or disc) Limitation of jaw movement Pain - usually located in the immediate pre-auricular region (not radiating to the surrounding muscles as with PDS) Internal Derangement Characterised by: Joint click due to disc displacement or medical obstruction to mouth opening Pain in later stages due to secondary muscle spasm Trauma and dislocation External trauma to the face and jaws can often cause mandibular or condylar fracture or more commonly traumatic arthritis, but rarely is a cause of a chronic temporomandibular disorder. In the absence of an anatomical defect, dislocation is rare and usually caused by trauma.	Treatment of the common disorders Pain Dysfunction Syndrome, Osteoarthrosis and Internal Derangement, can and should be treated in practice. For Trauma and dislocation the patient should be referred to a specialist clinic. Summary of Epidemiological and Patient Study Data Age Range 15-30 for dysfunctional symptoms 40+ for degenerative joint disease any age for internal derangement Pain Most common symptom Muscle tenderness Frequently detected Joint noises Clicking with dysfunctional symptoms or internal derangement crepitus with degenerative disease Jaw locking Infrequent Trismus Either on waking or after function Occlusion Variable