Orthodontics and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Curriculum Proposal for Postgraduate Programs

In a previous paper, the authors reported the results of a survey of all American and Canadian orthodontic postgraduate programs to determine how the topics of occlusion, temporomandibular joint and temporomandibular disorders were currently being taught. Based on the finding of considerable diversity among those programs, we decided to write a TMD curriculum proposal which would be compatible with and satisfy the current curriculum guidelines for postgraduate orthodontic programs. These guidelines arise from a combination of the ADA/CODA published requirements and the July, 2010 American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) written guide for the Phase II examination. The proposed curriculum, which is based on the latest scientific evidence in the TMD field, provides program directors with a template for covering these subjects thoroughly. At the same time, they can focus on all of the related orthodontic issues, so that their future graduates will be prepared to deal with patients who either present with or later develop TMD problems.