More mountains TMJ Conference More mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conference Aims

  1. To obtain bioengineering directives from the clinical community.
    Bioengineering objectives must be based on the needs of end users. A series of presentations by clinicians who are at the forefront of TMJ patient care will provide bioengineers with clinical needs and challenges. In addition, Dr. Bill Kirk, immediate past president of the American Society of TMJ Surgeons (ASTMJS), will identify specific needs of TMJ Surgeons in a keynote address. At their annual meeting in March, 2006, the ASTMJS will collectively assemble a list of key directives, which will then be delivered by Dr. Kirk at the TMJ Bioengineering Conference.
  2. To obtain bioengineering directives from the patient population.
    The premiere patient group for TMJ disorders is the TMJ Association (TMJA), which was formed by TMJ patients, and has gained national recognition for advocating TMJ patient interests. The founder and president of the TMJA, Ms. Terrie Cowley, has agreed to deliver a keynote address, drawing on her nearly 20 years of experience with the challenges faced by severely afflicted TMJ patients. Her keynote lecture will summarize the key needs of patients, presented in the context of directives to bioengineers.
  3. To set a benchmark for current state-of-the-art treatments and scientific knowledge
    Clinical presentations will establish the state of contemporary TMJ treatments for advanced TMJ disorders, and sessions in tissue engineering, biomechanics, and biology will set a precedent for current scientific knowledge of the TMJ. The fundamental objective of the scientific presentations will be to further our understanding of the TMJ, leading to new collaborations and better treatments in the future.