General principles of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with emporomandibular disorders.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a condition affecting a growing population of people worldwide. It is an etiologically, diagnostically and therapeutically challenging condition. The aim of this article was to present difficult and important subjects for doctors, who are less experienced yet but who are treating patients with TMD. This article presents modern general methods for treating patients with temporomandibular disorders. The principles of treatment are described on the basis of the author's more than 30 years of clinical experience and taking into account the contemporary literature describing this issue. The therapeutic management of the use of appliances called occlusal splints is characterized, and the importance of stopping the pathological habits of clenching or grinding teeth is described. In addition, procedures such as intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin type A and intraarticular injections of hyaluronic acid have been described. Additionally, the physiotherapeutic procedures used, such as laser biostimulation, sonophoresis, postisometric muscle relaxation, or manual therapy, and the need for psychotherapeutic support are described. The description of the procedures includes valuable tips for each of the sections of primary and supportive treatment of TMD. This article highlights all the necessary steps in the treatment of this group of patients and offers an overview of the methods. This paper highlights the most innovative methods that are currently used in the treatment of TMD. The use of the described methods guarantees therapeutic progress and pain relief. In addition, the article explains the importance of psychological support due to the predominant etiological factors of TMD.