The 26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for the Temporomandibular Joint

Welcome to Tokyo.

I am herein informing you of the 26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for the Temporomandibular Joint. In Tokyo, this meeting will be held after an interval of three years. We propose “TMD treatment in the future” as a main theme. After the name of a disease "temporomandibular arthrosis" was proposed in the 1950s in Japan, five decades have already passed. In the meantime, the sprint therapy and the occlusal adjustment were taken in Japanese insurance medical treatment in the 1960s, and had been carried out for over 50 years. However, under these treatments, there were a large number of the patients who could not be completely recovered from symptoms, and whose symptoms would recur when their physical condition worsened. Now, many patients were left as a so-called  ”hidden-TMD patients”. Many dentists were unable to fully improve the symptoms of these patients.

Several years ago, an etiologic contributing factor in the patient whose symptom lasted for a long time was found. This etiologic factor named TCH (Tooth Contacting Habit) was found in the large majority of difficult TMD patients. Now, we can completely delete the patient’s pain and improve their TMJ function by letting the patients get out of TCH and do strong rehabilitation training.

Moreover, from observation and research for the patient with TCH, it became clear that this habit influenced not only temporomandibular disorders but many diseases in the mouth, such as periodontitis, periapical periodontitis, denture sore, detachment or breakage of dental prosthesis, tooth fracture, stomatitis, glossodynia and occlusal discomfort. We will intend to offer some information about the TCH in this meeting.

We are proud and pleased to organize and to host this important and exciting educational and scientific event. We hope to welcome you in Tokyo!