The TMJ Community
There is no time like the present to make the effective change that we all need.
The TMJ Association has been focused for two decades on the needs of those that suffer with TMJ Disorders. During that time we have shed light on a largely ignored disorder, have worked for change in the dental and medical professions, and have provided useful information for thousands of sufferers worldwide.
The TMJ Association has come to recognize that the problem goes way beyond those that are directly suffering. This insidious disorder affects everyone in the sufferer's support circle: family, friends and coworkers alike. These are the folks that we need to get active and involved in promoting awareness and funding research. By broadening the circle we seek to expand the conversation beyond the dental or medical office or around the kitchen table.
Even today, TMJ patients are still subjected to treatments that lack scientific validity. This is occurring years after old TMJ treatments have been decried as unsafe or found to worsen symptoms. Clearly, basic and clinical research of the highest quality needs to be directed toward TMJ Disorders. Our hope for relief from TMJ Disorders lies in the answers only science can provide and that science is based and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Importance of the National Institutes of Health What is the NIH, and why is it important?
The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency that conducts and funds medical research. With your tax dollars, the NIH annually invests over $29 billion in medical research. The NIH is composed of 27 Institutes and Centers. One of those 27 agencies is the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), which supports the bulk of research on TMJ Disorders. Because of the complexities of TMJ Disorders, an increasing number of agencies of the NIH are recognizing that they have a significant role in solving the puzzle of TMJ Disorders.
Every year since 1993 the United States Senate has advised the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to improve the quantity and quality of scientific research on TMJ Disorders. We invite you to read the 2010 directives to the NIH and Agency for Health Care and Quality. The TMJ Association strongly endorses this report language.
It is thanks to Senators Tom Harkin and Congressman David Obey - the champions of TMJ patients that we have this continuous support for our needs. Please thank them.
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