chronic pain & temporomandibular joint dysfunction series

TMD has long been an acronym for “Temporomandibular Joint Disorders”  Unfortunately a better description would be “Too Much Disagreement.”  Warring camps have created confusion and mistrust in the general dental community; and understandably so.  Is joint position critical?  When?  What about muscle health?  And body position? And should we equilibrate patients?  And when?   And what is all this about neuromuscular dentistry?  And what really is the definition of CR?  And should we put every patient there?  And what is the relationship between occlusion and our patient’s symptoms?  And how should we diagnose and treat patients with or without symptoms in the real dental world? 

There is no question that the general dentist should have a basic knowledge of the temporomandibular joint, just as the general physician should have a basic knowledge of cardiac function.  Of course there are cardiovascular conditions that the general physician is comfortable diagnosing and treating; and others that he knows it is best for him to refer.  But he knows the basic anatomy and physiology of the heart; he knows how to advise to prevent cardiac disease; and he knows when it is best not to recommend certain procedures or medications because of the patient’s heart disease.    

Dr. Glassman (with Dr. Jim Boyd) has developed a practical model for general dentistry.  Their goal is to eliminate the confusion, and teach evidenced based concepts that will expand your ability to practice, widen your breadth of knowledge and include tempromandibular joint function and dysfunction concepts in your diagnosis and treatment planning of your patients.  You will learn that TMD does not mean “Too Much Disagreement” but ‘Trigeminally Mediated Disorders.” 

You will learn that TMD does not mean “Too Much Disagreement” but ‘Trigeminally Mediated Disorders.”

These courses are designed in the following manner so that the learning will occur at the your own pace. Look at the purpose of each course. Ready to move quickly? Ready to skip a course? That is totally up to you. What’s more, Dr. Glassman will provide personal guidance to help you design the program that is best for you. Simply send an email to drbglass@aol.com with your goals and objectives and with your concerns. Dr. Glassman will be happly to answer your specific questions.

course descriptions

These courses are designed in the following manner so that the learning will occur at the your own pace.  Look at the purpose of each course.  Ready to move quickly?  Ready to skip a course?  That is totally up to you.  What’s more, Dr. Glassman will provide personal guidance to help you design the program that is best for you.  Simply send an email to drbglass@aol.com with your goals and objectives; with your concerns.  Dr. Boyd or Dr. Glassman will answer your particular questions. 

Level I Course

When do you treat and when do you refer?  Well, that decision is of course totally up to you.  The Tooth Wear to Migraines will teach practical anatomy and physiology of the joint and the muscles, as well as the trigmenial system. The key role of parafunction and the proper treatment using well designed and parafunctional control will be thoroughly reviewed as the model for TMD treatment in the general dental office is introduced.  How nocturnal appliances function will be demonstrated using live EMG’s.  Diagnosis and appropriate  appliance design and the key role of dentistry in migraine prevention will be taught.  This is an exciting course that can change your lives and the way you practice. 

When do you treat and when do you refer?  Well, that decision is of course totally up to you.  The ABC’s course (Level one) will teach practical anatomy and physiology of the joint and the muscles, as well as the trigmenial system. The key role of parafunction and the proper treatment using well designed and parafunctional control will be thoroughly reviewed as the model for TMD treatment in the general dental office is introduced.  How nocturnal appliances function will be demonstrated using live EMG’s.  Diagnosis and appropriate  appliance design and the key role of dentistry in migraine prevention will be taught.  This is an exciting course that can change your lives and the way you practice.  Interested in hearing what others have said about this course? 

Level II Courses

Want to go further in the series? 

This one day program includes lectures and hands on workshop training. The lectures encompass all aspects of Botox treatment and particularly its role in neuromuscular dentistry.

Tooth Wear to Migraines: Application

This is the LEVEL TWO course to follow up our Tooth Wear To Migraines Course.

• Diagnosis and Treatment will be reviewed in DETAIL
• Case Presentations will be a key part of the course.
• Appliances will be taught with a hands-on approach

All participants will, in advance of the course, send models to the Allentown Dental Lab. Stents will be made that will allow participants to insert all the appliances used in the Allentown Pain Center model during the course using fellow attendees as patients. Consequently, everyone will go home having inserted all appliances and having their own appliances for their own use and for demonstration purposes for their patients!

The course begins with a description of all the appliances and the rationale for their use. A full day of hands-on with the appliances will reinforce the construction and insertion process.

 

Level III

The In-House TMD course is the Level Three course. 

This very exciting three day and a half day course is given at the Allentown Pain Center.  The course starts with Dr. Glassman’s signature Marathon Thursday.  A short review in the morning is followed by a complete day of patient care, dinner, and then an evening session reviewing the day and reviewing in detail all the treatment concepts observed. 

Friday is another in house patient day.  You will see new patients interviewed; splints adjusted; splints inserted; iontophoresis and injection therapy.  You will observe charting and progress notes dictated; staff delegation and front office coordination.  There is an entire segment given by Angela, the Pain Center’s Office Manager, on billing and new patient procedures.  

This course is usually attended by six to eight doctors, so real attention is given to everyone’s individual needs.  There is ample time to have all your questions asked and answered.  Round table discussions are held between patients.  You will be given histories and charts on all the patients to review before they are seen.

The In-House TMD course is the Level Three course.  This very exciting three day and a half day course is given at the Allentown Pain Center.  The course starts with Dr. Glassman’s signature Marathon Thursday.  A short review in the morning is followed by a complete day of patient care, dinner, and then an evening session reviewing the day and reviewing in detail all the treatment concepts observed.  Friday is another in house patient day.  You will see new patients interviewed; splints adjusted; splints inserted; iontophoresis and injection therapy.  You will observe charting and progress notes dictated; staff delegation and front office coordination.  There is an entire segment given by Angela, the Pain Center’s Office Manager, on billing and new patient procedures.   This course is usually attended by six to eight doctors, so real attention is given to everyone’s individual needs.  There is ample time to have all your questions asked and answered.  Round table discussions are held between patients.  You will be given histories and charts on all the patients to review before they are seen.

Level IV

(N.B.: Although we highly recommend this course as a Level IV Course that completes the pain dysfunction series, it is NOT included financially in the package. The course must be registered for separately.)

The Injection course is the Level Four course. 

The Allentown Pain Center Seminars is thrilled to announce a one of a kind course to teach injection therapy for patients with chronic pain, ligament insertion injuries, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.  While there have been courses given in injection therapy, there have been no courses that have given each participant ample opportunity to perform the injections taught. 

This three day course is designed to fully explain all the injections and techniques and then have each participant inject patients provided.  An entire injection manual that includes not only the theory of the injections taught but a comprehensive equipment list and technique description will be helpful when the participants return to their respective offices. 

The Level Four course is a Hands-On Injection and Treatment course given annually in San Jose, Costa Rica.  Finally; an injection course that includes injections – not on each other – but on live properly diagnosed patients!  This is given in coordination with Prima Dental in San Jose.  This three day course starts on Friday morning with a day reviewing the essentials of history taking, the clinical examination, appliance decision making, insertion and construction, and most importantly, the concepts of injection therapy.  You will learn the concepts and the details of ligament insertion therapy, prolotherapy, trigger point injections and autonomic ganglion injections.  Every injection and injection site will be reviewed in detail.  Saturday and Sunday are full days in a modern well appointed dental office where new patients will be interviewed by each attendee.  We meet as a group to review treatment decision making, and then treatment is provided by the attendees.  Appliances will be constructed and inserted, and where indicated, injections will be performed under supervision.  Every attendee will have the opportunity for hands on injections of live patients.