Suma, SKumar, B Veerendra2013-01-042013-01-042012-07Suma S, Kumar B Veerendra. Temporomandibular disorders and functional somatic syndromes: Deliberations for the dentist. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2012 July-Aug; 23(4): 529-536.http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/144133Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is an umbrella term for a collection of disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and associated tissues. TMD is not a rare pathology for the dentist. The most common presenting symptom is pain, which causes the patient seek immediate treatment. Management is dictated by the cause. The most 'famed' causes include trauma, inflammation, aging, parafunctional habits, infections, neoplasms, and stress; and these are always considered in the differential diagnosis of TMJ pain. There are some less 'famed' causes of TMD, which are characterized by increased pain sensitivity due to psychosocial factors; these include myofascial pain syndrome and functional somatic syndromes (FSS) such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. They present with chronic pain, fatigue, disability, and impairment in ability to perform daily activities. A non-systematic search in the English literature revealed numerous studies describing the occurrence of TMD in these conditions, along with few other oral manifestations. TMD has been even considered to be a part of the FSS by some. In these patients, TMD remains a recurring problem, and adequate management cannot be achieved by traditional treatment protocols. Awareness of these conditions, with correct diagnosis and modification of management protocols accordingly, may resolve this problem.enChronic fatigue syndromefibromyalgiafunctional somatic syndromesmyofascial pain-dysfunction syndromemyofascial pain syndrometemporomandibular disordertemporomandibular joint syndromeDentistsFatigue Syndrome, Chronic --etiologyFibromyalgia --etiologyHumansMyofascial Pain Syndromes --etiologySomatoform Disorders --etiologyTemporomandibular Joint Disorders --diagnosisTemporomandibular Joint Disorders --drug therapyTemporomandibular Joint Disorders --etiologyTemporomandibular Joint Disorders --surgeryTemporomandibular Joint Disorders --therapyArticle