This illustration visually and at once symbolizes the Entire TMJ/TMJD Dilemma.
This illustration represents Milton and Renée personally as the "movers" of this co-joining philosophy.

It represents JJAMD's Advocacy role and mission and our Uphill struggle to push the MEDICAL PROFESSION to get on board to help work alongside the DENTAL PROFESSION, in order to alleviate the terrible burden needlessly imposed on the American Society physically, emotionally, and financially, from their absence and/or void of their routinely dealing with the Jaw Joints, or willingness to include these precious complex JOINTS alongside ALL OTHER MEDICAL JOINTS in the whole body. 

The MEDICAL PROFESSION must acknowledge, legitimize, teach, and write the insurance codes, in order for ALL Americans to access their insurance entitlements.  Both Disciplines must live up to their sworn  "Hippocratic Oath"; to  "At Least Do No Harm."

As long as it is perceived as if it were mostly a DENTAL Health Issue, the current significant population of TMJD Patients are further disenfranchised and their health and quality of life further jeopardized.  Patients, therefore, often  submit to unscientifically-based and irreversible therapies, treatments, and surgery, merely because it is perceived as a "Legitimate MEDICAL Clinical Entiry, and therefore covered as a MEDICAL insurance benefit.  And a naive public enters The TMJ/TMJD World as vulnerable human beings.

On February 4th, 2009 "NEW YORK TIMES" had a large article written by Jane Brody, a well-known health writer, who has personal knowledge of TMJD.  Her title:   "Best Treatment for TMJ Disorder May Be Nothing", has some merit at first glance, but we TMJ/TMJD Advocates--who are in the trenches with the actual patients and the public--know that this advice is not necessarily the best advice either, because signs and symptoms could also get worse  from lack of needed diagnoses and treatments.  So that "Nothing" is NOT what they are looking or hoping for.  Her article includes a "New England Journal of Medicine" article, and interviews Boston-based Doctors, mostly from the DENTAL-side.

As Advocates, we spend a lot of time with TMJD Patients and a Naive Public, as friends and as sounding boards.   Our Educational Pamphlet  with Self-Help Tips and Warnings is also "advice", to at least encourage them to seek out more unaffiliated independent diagnoses BEFORE treatments.  Most Resource Organizations have a Disclaimer about giving REFERRALS, because of The TMJ Dilemma.

And, to add to The TMJ/TMJD Dilemma, since our Advocacy Organization was formed in 1982, we continue to be baffled and saddened that there has never been a National Grassroots Movement to come together to be seen and heard in a united visible viable needed effort to be heard by the Health Care Communities. 

They need the MEDICAL-SIDE visibly on board to help them, for their signs and symptoms are often  multi-faceted throughout their whole bodies, and for the reasons stated within. They must come on Board to work with the DENTAL-SIDE, to whom this Entire TMJ/TMJD  Dilemma has been consigned, and which goes beyond the scope of their training and charge for treatments beyond the Orofacial-Craniofacial Complex.  And to this, TMJD has been linked with other Disorders/Diseases, who are at least acknowledged as Legitimate  Medical Clinical Entities, sometimes with a TMJD component.

So, here in 2009, the Jaw Joints and the TMJ Disorders and Diseases to them continue to be a painful quagmire and nightmare for ALL to deal with.  And it continues to be The Step-Child of the Healing Arts.  


The TMJ Dilemma   Illustration by Andrew Goldstein

[This illustration represents Milton and Renée personally as the "movers" of this co-joining philosophy.]Illustration by Andy.Goldstein
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