Course Overview

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction can affect the quality of life for sufferers, especially if symptoms become chronic. Long term, persistent pain can be debilitating, hence accurate diagnosis is important to ensure the appropriate treatment is undertaken. This course will provide insight into the dysfunction and assist the general dentist with diagnosing, treating, and monitoring pain associated with TMJ.

This course will cover the below topics and provide participants with the opportunity to watch live demonstrations and apply key learnings through a hands-on component. 

• Understanding what’s normal and identifying dysfunction
• Bruxism: diagnosis or a sign of something more sinister?
• TMD diagnosis and classification
• Practical component: basic hands-on diagnostic assessment
• Demystifying occlusal splint therapy
• Physiotherapy treatment and management of TMD and craniofacial pain
• Is it the jaw? Other sources of TMJ pain

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

• Summarise normal function and anatomy of the TMJ
• Identify pathology and dysfunction of the TMJ 
• Identify signs of bruxism and determine how to best manage individual cases 
• Demonstrate how to quickly assess musculoskeletal signs and symptoms in the dental chair
• Summarise the various treatment options a general dentist can utilise
• Determine when to consider a collaborative team approach
• Describe the role and purpose of splint therapy or occlusal treatment
• Summarise the role of physiotherapy in the management and treatment of musculoskeletal aspects of TMD
• Summarise referred pain and other sources of TMJ type pain

Presenter biography

Dr Adam Teo

Dr. Adam Teo graduated with a Bachelor of Oral Health and Graduate Diploma of Dentistry from Griffith University in 2010. He has since worked in many different facilities within Queensland Health, including Caboolture and Redcliffe Hospitals, Pine Rivers Community Centre and at multiple school facilities. Within these 10 years, he has got involved in all different specialties and aspects of dentistry but became passionate for the basic fundamentals of helping people and gaining their trust in a profession which can make people very anxious. He currently supervises UQ dental students at the Oral Health Centre in Herston.

Adam took a special interest in a more uncommon area of dentistry in sleep medicine and realised the lack of awareness in the general public of how the common snoring issue can lead to many medical problems. He has since devoted his time to understanding thoroughly the field of sleep medicine and to help people improve their quality of life both medically and emotionally.

Adam is a member of the Australian Dental Association (ADA), Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) and Sleep Health Foundation and keeps up to date with the latest dental knowledge by regular attendance at various seminars and conferences. He currently is undergoing his Masters of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) through the University of Sydney.

 
Mr Nigel Smith

Nigel had ambitions to become a physiotherapist from a young age and dreamed of working for his beloved Bulldogs.  He was accepted into Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland and graduated in 2000.  Nigel progressed down the Sports pathway as far as working casually for the Queensland Reds, where he realised Sports physiotherapy wasn’t his thing, which was lucky, because it turned out he was rubbish at it!
 
Soon after, Nigel had a chance meeting with an Oral surgeon who was removing his wife's wisdom teeth. He started talking about muscle pain in the jaw and his lack of surgical options for treatment.  As it happened, Nigel had personally had bad experiences with the management of his own TMJ as a teenager and had spent time (with good results) rehabilitating himself with basic physiotherapy principals. It turned out Nigel was quite good at fixing jaws, so as a result of a chance meeting, the niche field of Physiotherapy for Headaches, Neck and Jaw Pain chose Nigel.

Nigel has spent the last 10 years of his life refining his Jaw treatment techniques, attending any seminars on Jaws and headaches, most of which were run by dentists, and talking to anyone about the jaw who will listen. 


Ms Karri Field

Karri wanted to be a physiotherapist ever since she could pronounce the word at 3 years of age.   After graduating from ACU with first class honours, she discovered a passion for helping people with chronic pain and is currently continuing research with ACU in this area.  Her research is not just an excuse to get on people's nerves, but investigates how pain pathway sensitivity changes in chronic pain conditions.

Karri travelled extensively throughout Australia and lived in Germany for a few years where she worked with Gunda Lambrecht, who specialises in TMJ conditions and is the rehabilitation physiotherapist for astronauts with the European Space Agency. 

 However, Karri is a Queensland girl at heart and happily returned to the sunshine state where she accepted a position at the Headache, Neck & Jaw Clinic.

Karri completed training at the Watson Headache® Institute in Sydney where she, not surprisingly, learned that headaches are a real pain in the neck.

Karri understands pain impacts on all areas of life due to personal experience with migraines, headaches and TMJ dysfunction.  Hunting down and treating the actual cause of someone's pain, not just the symptoms, is the ultimate reward for Karri.

Ms Trina Morris

Trina graduated from the University of Queensland with a Masters of Physiotherapy. She has a special interest in the treatment of patients who suffer from chronic headaches and neck pain. Trina is a fully accredited Level 3 Watson Certified Practitioner. She has also attended many courses on the cervical and thoracic spine, breathing dysfunction and pain management.

Most recently, Trina was one of the presenters at the 2018 International Headache Symposium in Milan.

Trina is originally from Vancouver, Canada and studied a Bachelor's degree in Human Movement and Psychology at the Simon Fraser University. During Trina's time in the land down under, she fell in love with almost everything Australian, including the weather, red wine and her Australian husband. One of her dislikes is Vegemite, which does not agree with her more refined maple syrup palate.

Event Pricing

ADA Member Dentist - $390
ADA Member 1st and 2nd Year Graduate - $295
Non-Member Dentist - $525

CPD Points

6 Scientific hours

Supported By

ADAQ is pleased to announce that this event is proudly supported by

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