Terminology for herniation of intervertebral disks.

of that relationship are understood, and that joint disorders other than internal derangements occasionally occur. The difficulty I have is that the physician-dentist community at large is not united in its approach to TMJ problems. This stems in part from the diversity of specialists and generalists who involve themselves in this area of medicine; the TMJ has been claimed by everyone but not really by anyone. It also comes about because ignoring the TMJ in medical and dental curricula causes inadequate education about the TMJ. A third reason is the quagmire of literature that mixes fact and fancy. How do you get such a diverse group to begin a methodologic approach to dealing objectively with this population of patients? If you consider that this is not our concern as radiologists , then you take the position of cheapening your value as a consultant. Will you encourage referrals only from doctors that you think are qualified to treat patients who have TMJ disorders? Will you perform expensive tests even though you know that the information gained will be of no benefit, or even to the detriment, of your patient? How do you determine an algorithm for imaging when the management philosophy most probably is flawed? This is the point I was trying to make in "Imaging of the Temporomandibular Joint, 1989." Again , I wish to say that collaborative research with the aid of special imaging will help improve our understanding of the etiology, functional pathology, natural history, and proper treatment of TMJ disorders. However, perhaps I am obliged to add that educating ourselves and our colleagues who refer patients to us (and this is after all once again emphasizing the basic role of the radiologist as a teacher) certainly will help get diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders on a rational , scientific footing.