[Musculoskeletal disorders of the masticatory system. Consensus concerning diagnosis and therapy in gnathology].

Diagnosis and management of musculoskelatal disorders of the mandibular locomotor system have changed throughout the past decades. The Dutch Society of Temporomandibular Disorders and Prosthetic Dentistry initiated a consensus on this subject. The Utrecht Medical Center and the dental schools of the universities in Amsterdam, Groningen and Nijmegen produced a consensus statement, which eventually may lead to guidelines for the Dutch dental profession. The bi-axial somatic and phychosocial diagnostic approach is endorsed. Assessment, diagnostic subgroups, and management strategies, including occlusal appliances, physiotherapy, psychological treatment, and surgery are described. Counseling and reversible treatments are first choice options, although minimal invasive procedures may be considered in the early phase approach.