Shtefan A. The rationale of the etiopathogenetical orthopedic treatment of joint and muscle dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), associated with the interference of interocclusal relationship of dental arches.

The results of clinical, laboratory and functional studies revealed the causes that lead to interference of interocclusal space and determined their influence on the occurrence of TMJ dysfunction which originates from occlusion. The suggested complex of general clinical and special examination methods is simple, affordable and effective for the diagnosis of functional disorders of the masticatory system as a whole, which significantly affects the quality of care, and the examination chart for patients with TMJ dysfunction allows to improve and standardize the diagnostic process, and organize a plan of remedial measures. Based on the results of general clinical and special methods of patient examination, the pathogenetically justified algorithm of complex treatment of patients with TMJ dysfunction, which allows to shorten the treatment period and increase its effectiveness, was proposed for practical medicine. The author highlighted the issues of prosthetic measures and splint therapy in combination with other treatment measures, which are the basic etiopathogenetical methods for the treatment of TMJ dysfunction originating from occlusion, which allow to achieve the masticatory force normalization, both in direction and amount, and restoration of coordinated masticatory muscle and TMJ function.