Which criteria are commonly used to classify TMD within the DC/TMD framework?

• A. Axis I categories (myofascial pain, disc displacement with/without reduction, osteoarthritis/arthralgia) and Axis II assessing psychosocial impact and pain-related disability
• B. Axis II assessment of psychosocial factors only
• C. Imaging findings only
• D. Axis I categories plus Axis II assessment of psychosocial impact and pain-related disability

Answer: (D)

In DC/TMD, diagnosis uses a two-axis approach: Axis I for the clinical jaw disorder categories (such as myofascial pain, disc displacement with or without reduction, and osteoarthritis/arthralgia) and Axis II to assess psychosocial factors and the level of pain-related disability. This combination is essential because it provides both the specific tissue/clinical diagnosis and the patient’s subjective impact on function and well-being, which informs prognosis and treatment planning. Imaging can support understanding of structure but by itself cannot define the TMD category or capture the patient’s functional and psychosocial burden. Similarly, relying only on Axis II misses the underlying clinical diagnosis. Thus, classifying TMD within the DC/TMD framework relies on Axis I plus Axis II assessment.