Etiology of temporomandibular disorders: the journey so far

Temporomandibular disorder is a chronic self limiting pain disorder. Over the years several theories have been proposed regarding its etiology. However, none of them could account for all the disorders that have come under the umbrella term temporomandibular disorders. The evolution of the etiological concepts from biomedical to the current biopsychosocial model makes for an interesting read. Earlier researchers looked only for a somatogenic cause. However, current research shows that psychological and social factors also play a major role.