Occlusal change through orthodontics in TMD patients.

Although some claim that occlusion has little effect on a healthy TMJ and is not generally a causal factor in TMD,1,2 many have made emphatic claims to the contrary.3 Many orthodontic practices are positioned in the marketplace as providing proven treatment for TMD, yet some patients seem to experience TMD as a consequence of orthodontic treatment. While existing literature reports that orthodontics can both help4 and worsen TMD, this paper describes 2 cases where TMD relief was successfully achieved through orthodontic therapy. More specifically, these cases lend credence to the theory that increasing the vertical dimension5 and removing retrusive forces on the mandible may help recapture the disc that can be displaced by over-closure of the mandible.