TMD Conservative Success Rate — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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EasyOral MedicineTMD Conservative Success RateORE Part 1

A patient has painless clicking from the temporomandibular joint and asks whether surgery is usually required. Approximately what proportion of patients with TMD improve with conservative, non-surgical management?

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Correct answer: B — Approximately 80–90%

Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · A = shown as B · D = shown as C · B = shown as D · C = shown as E

**A is correct.** Current UK Royal College of Surgeons of England guidance states that reversible, non-invasive conservative care is successful in approximately 75–90% of TMD cases. Thus, an estimate of 80–90% is the best answer. Initial management is based on supported self-management and reversible measures, such as explanation, habit modification, jaw exercises, diet modification and, where indicated, adjunctive physical therapy or splint therapy. Clicking alone, without pain, locking or functional limitation, is not an indication for surgery. Surgery is reserved for selected severe arthrogenous TMD or disc displacement without reduction after appropriate conservative management and assessment. Options B–D substantially underestimate the expected response. Option E is incorrect because conservative treatment is not universally successful and a small, selected group may require specialist assessment or intervention.

Reference: Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England. Management of painful temporomandibular disorder in adults, 2026, section on management: reversible, non-invasive conservative care is successful in 75–90% of cases. https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults.pdf