Biopsychosocial Mechanisms and Multidisciplinary Management of Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and orofacial pain conditions are shaped by a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors that extend well beyond local joint or muscle pathology. Chronic presentations are increasingly understood through the lens of central sensitization, altered pain processing, and comorbid psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and catastrophizing, which can amplify symptom burden and complicate recovery trajectories. Behavioral contributors — including sleep disturbance, bruxism, stress-related parafunction, and maladaptive coping strategies — further influence disease onset, chronicity, and treatment response. Understanding these mechanisms requires integrating neurobiological, psychological, and lifestyle perspectives rather than viewing TMDs solely as a musculoskeletal problem.This has direct implications for care delivery. Multidisciplinary models combining physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral interventions, pharmacological management, occlusal and behavioral strategies, and patient education are gaining traction as a means of addressing the full complexity of chronic TMD presentations. Yet significant gaps remain in how these approaches are sequenced, combined, and evaluated across diverse patient populations, and in how clinicians identify which patients will benefit most from psychologically informed versus purely somatic interventions. This Research Topic invites contributions that advance understanding of the biopsychosocial dimensions of TMDs and orofacial pain and their translation into coordinated, patient-centered care, including:• Central sensitization and neurobiological pain amplification mechanisms in chronic TMDs• Psychological and behavioral risk factors (anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, sleep disturbance, parafunctional habits)• Cognitive-behavioral and psychologically informed interventions for pain and functional disability• Multidisciplinary and stepped-care models integrating physical, behavioral, and pharmacological therapies• Patient stratification approaches for matching treatment intensity to biopsychosocial risk profiles• Quality-of-life, disability, and psychosocial outcome measures in TMD populations• Health equity, access, and real-world implementation of multidisciplinary TMD care Topic editors: Valentino Vellone, David Faustino Angelo, Luigi Angelo Vaira Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82577/biopsychosocial-mechanisms-and-multidisciplinary-management-of-temporomandibular-disorders-and-orofacial-pain