Biography:
Dr. Zaha Khalifé Amarin is an American Board–certified orthodontist and holds a Proficiency Certificate in Occlusion and Temporomandibular Disorders from Georgetown University. She is Founder and President of the Jordanian Commission of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction, Jordan Section Chair and Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, a board member of the International Association for Orofacial Pain, and an active member of the American Association of Orthodontists.
Dr. Amarin lectures regionally and internationally on orthodontics, TMD, and dental sleep medicine. She serves as a peer reviewer for orthodontic and TMD journals and is an Expert Lecturer at the University of Jordan. She is the CEO and Consultant Orthodontist of her multidisciplinary center in Amman, Jordan.
Title:
The TMD–Occlusion–Orthodontic Connection: Revisiting the Puzzle
Abstract:
The relationship between occlusion, malocclusion, and temporomandibular disorders remains one of the major controversies in both the scientific literature and clinical practice. For decades, concepts such as condylar position, centric relation, occlusion, and malocclusion have shaped diagnosis and treatment decisions, yet many of these long-held dogmas continue to be challenged by emerging evidence and an evolving understanding of pain.
This lecture revisits the puzzle from a practical clinical perspective, beginning with TMJ function and contemporary TMD assessment using DC/TMD principles. Long-held concepts will be examined alongside current evidence, with particular attention to the distinction between tooth-to-tooth contact and the brain’s interpretation of the same event.
Through clinical pearls, counterpoints, and evidence-informed insights, participants will gain a clear framework for navigating the intersection of TMD, occlusion, and orthodontics, translating current evidence into everyday clinical decision-making.