I can't say enough good things about the TMJ Association. They are one of a handful of national organizations who advocate for TMD patients and jaw disorder research. They work with the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute of Health, and teaching universities all over the country (including the University of Washington) to help patients suffering from painful jaw disorders get appropriate treatment and to promote the need for more research about this debilitating condition Through their dedication and hard work they have promoted clinical studies with researchers, non profits, and government agencies to shine a light on this subject where little research progress has been made since the 1990's.
There's so much misinformation out there about this condition and there is no evidence based standard protocol for treating it.
They're not there solely for patients with TMD. They also provide information for chronic pain patients, jaw surgery patients, and they offer up to date information on current dental research and treatment methods from all over the world. Their staff understands what it's like to suffer from chronic dental pain and how difficult it is for patients to get accurate information on how to treat it.
TMJA developed the 'TMJ Patient RoundTable Project', an initiative to advance the interests of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The Patient Round Table encompasses collaborations with stakeholders including patients, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), Device manufacturers, and clinical researchers (academicians).
The president and co founder of TMJA, Terrie Cowley, has been studying this subject for years. She's incredibly kind and extremely knowledgeable on the subject. Terrie will go out of her way personally to help a patient with support and advice. I can only offer the highest praise for Terrie. She has helped so many people with the work that she does.
TMJA is a non profit patient advocacy organization funded by donations. If you work as a government employee you can set up matching fund contributions with your employer to support their work and mission. In addition to their website they also have a newsletter with patient stories, dental articles and current research findings. The newsletter is a great resource for news and information.
www.tmj.org
Patient Round Table Project -
http://www.tmj.org/site/page?pageId=408 read more