TMD
Also written as: TMD — Temporomandibular Disorders
An acronym for Temporomandibular Disorders, a collective term for conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint, masticatory muscles, and associated orofacial structures.
Full Definition
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) encompass a heterogeneous group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions involving the temporomandibular joint(s), the muscles of mastication, and related osseous and soft-tissue components. Clinical presentations include joint pain, myofascial pain, disc displacement, limited mandibular range of motion, and joint sounds. In editorial practice, TMD must not be used interchangeably with TMJ (which refers to the joint itself). Editors should confirm that 'TMD' is expanded on first use in formal documents and that it is not used as a synonym for any single condition (e.g., bruxism or disc displacement alone).
Usage
Usage note: TMD refers to the group of disorders; TMJ refers to the anatomical joint. These abbreviations are not interchangeable and confusion between them is one of the most common editorial errors in oral surgery documentation.
In Context
- "The patient was referred to the oral surgery department with a diagnosis of TMD, characterised by bilateral masseteric pain and reduced mouth opening." — Referral Letter
- "The manuscript repeatedly used 'TMJ' when referring to the disorder rather than the joint; the editor corrected all instances to 'TMD' where appropriate." — Journal Manuscript Editing