CRAFTA 1.1 Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management

The CRAFTA® Clinical Series in Temporomandibular & Orofacial Dysfunction and Pain now consists of three flexible hybrid courses that can be taken in any order:

• CRAFTA 1.1 Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management
• CRAFTA 1.2 Craniofacial Pain Syndromes
• CRAFTA 1.3 Cranial Neuropathies Management 

Each course blends self-paced online learning with focused in-person training, allowing participants to build a strong theoretical foundation before applying their skills in the clinic.

Each live course is delivered as an intensive two-day hands-on experience, designed to help clinicians: 

• Strengthen clinical reasoning for head, neck, and jaw disorders

• Develop advanced assessment and treatment techniques for TMD and orofacial pain

• Practice evidence-informed manual therapy skills in a supervised environment

• Learn through real clinical case discussions and collaborative problem-solving

CRAFTA® courses combine scientific knowledge, clinical expertise, and a dynamic learning environment, creating a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of the craniofacial and upper quadrant system in theory and in practice.

Participants also benefit from a unique interdisciplinary learning environment, working alongside dentists, chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. This collaborative setting helps students better understand the multidisciplinary management of complex craniofacial conditions commonly seen in practice.

Whether you want to expand your expertise in TMD management, enhance outcomes for patients with head, neck, and facial pain, or strengthen collaboration with dental and medical colleagues, the redesigned CRAFTA® Level 1 Clinical Series provides practical tools you can apply immediately in your clinic.

CRAFTA 1.1 Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management

Evidence-Based Assessment & Treatment 

During the CRAFTA 1.1 course, you will discover how the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), facial muscles, and trigeminal system interact in pain and function. 

The CRAFTA 1.1 course consists of two parts:

1. An online course component
2. A live, hands-on component

Approximately four weeks before the hands-on course component, students will gain access to the online section, which will comprise multiple video presentations introducing key theoretical and clinical concepts, allowing them to familiarize themselves with essential background knowledge and terminology in advance. By doing so, the face-to-face sessions will focus more effectively on clinical reasoning, hands-on practice, and case-based integrations.

The two-day hands-on part of the course provides practical, evidence-based tools for assessing and treating temporomandibular and orofacial disorders using a modern biopsychosocial approach. You will explore the neurophysiological mechanisms behind intra-articular. myogenous TMD, bruxism, and otomandibular syndromes. You will learn manual therapy approaches, techniques, and strategies to restore normal movement and perception within the context of a biopsychosocial model.

Key skills: clinical reasoning, TMJ and masticatory muscle palpation, joint mobility testing, treatment techniques, and orofacial motor control retraining.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

1. Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., & Von Piekartz, H. (2020). Clinical reasoning for the examination and physical therapy treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD): a narrative literature review. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(11), 3686
2. Von Piekartz, H., van der Meer, H., & Olivo, S. A. (2023). Craniofacial disorders and headaches. A narrative review. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102815 
3. Von Piekartz, H., & Hall, T. (2013). Orofacial manual therapy improves cervical movement impairment associated with headache and features of temporomandibular dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. Manual therapy, 18(4), 345-350 
4. Petronis, Z., Pliatkute, I., Janovskiene, A., & Leketas, M. (2023). The relationship between cervical spine abnormalities and temporomandibular joint internal disorders: a systematic review of literature. Annals of Dental Specialty, 11(4-2023), 20-28 
5. Manfredini, D., Colonna, A., Bracci, A., & Lobbezoo, F. (2020). Bruxism: a summary of current knowledge on aetiology, assessment and management. Oral surgery, 13(4), 358-370 

Online

Videos

1. Introduction and Functional Anatomy of the Temporomandibular Region | 90 minutes

2. Relationship between Temporomandibular Region and Other Structures in the Cranial Region | 30 minutes

3. Pathobiological Mechanisms — Basic Explaining Model for Clinical Patterns of the Temporomandibular Region | 45 minutes

4. Muscular Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Bruxism | 90 minutes

Total time of videos: 4 hours and 15 minutes

Required Reading

1. Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., & Von Piekartz, H. (2020). Clinical reasoning for the examination and physical therapy treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD): a narrative literature review. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(11), 3686 | 70 minutes
2. Von Piekartz, H., van der Meer, H., & Olivo, S. A. (2023). Craniofacial disorders and headaches. A narrative review. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102815 | 65 minutes
3. Von Piekartz, H., & Hall, T. (2013). Orofacial manual therapy improves cervical movement impairment associated with headache and features of temporomandibular dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. Manual therapy, 18(4), 345-350 | 60 minutes
4. Petronis, Z., Pliatkute, I., Janovskiene, A., & Leketas, M. (2023). The relationship between cervical spine abnormalities and temporomandibular joint internal disorders: a systematic review of literature. Annals of Dental Specialty, 11(4-2023), 20-28 | 70 minutes
5. Manfredini, D., Colonna, A., Bracci, A., & Lobbezoo, F. (2020). Bruxism: a summary of current knowledge on aetiology, assessment and management. Oral surgery, 13(4), 358-370 | 70 minutes

Total reading time: 5 hours and 35 minutes

Total time of the online course component: 11 hours

Live Course

Actual times may vary with each program at the discretion of the instructors.

Day 1

07:30 - 08:00 Registration

08:00 – 09:00 Introduction + Questions - Videos 1 & 2

09:00 – 10:00 Subjective assessment + planning PE (TMD): History taking, hypothesis formation, planning the physical examination

10:00 – 10:15 Questions & Answers

10:15 – 12:30 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 1): Inspection, differentiation tests, active movements, and interpretation

12:30 – 01:30 Lunch

13:30 – 03:00 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 2): Passive movements (physiological and accessory), clinical patterns

03.00 - 03.15 Questions & Answers

03.15 - 05.45 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 3): Assessment of masticatory muscle and differentiation tests

05:45 - 06:00 Wrap-up and key take-home points

Day 2

08:00 – 09:00 Questions - Videos 3 & 4

09:00 – 10:30 Assessment & treatment of arthrogenous TMD: Examination and treatment principles (arthrogenous)

10:30 – 10:45 Questions & Answers

10:45 – 12:00 Assessment & treatment of myogenous / mixed TMD

12:00 – 01:00 Lunch

01:00 - 02:00 Assessment & management of bruxism: Screening, classification, management strategy

02:00 – 03:00 Assessment & management of otomandibular syndrome: Recognition, clinical approach, differential considerations

03.00 - 03.30 Life-style aspects and TMD: Exercise therapy & compliance

03:30 - 04:00 Wrap-up + Closing - Summary, questions, evaluation

Physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, dentists, and speech-language pathologists interested in orofacial pain and function.

Pending

Bundle Discount

Save 15% when you register for all three modules of the CRAFTA® Clinical Series in Temporomandibular & Orofacial Dysfunction and Pain at the same time

Group Discount

15% off for groups of three or more students registering for the same course.

Special Discounts

10% off for new graduates, active military/veterans, residents, and full-time university faculty.

You can only one discount per course

At the completion of the CRAFTA 1.1 course, students will be able to

• Demonstrate evidence-based knowledge and practical skills for assessment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and orofacial region.
• Perform and interpret key TMJ screening and differentiation tests, including differentiation between arthrogenous and myogenous presentations.
• Differentiate TMJ-related symptoms from craniocervical and other cranial structures, including trigeminal sensitivity mechanisms.
• Identify dominant clinical patterns related to TMD (e.g., arthrogenous, myogenous/bruxism-related, and mixed presentations) and link them to pain mechanisms.
• Apply international classification frameworks for TMD and orofacial pain to structure clinical reasoning and documentation.
• Plan and execute a structured subjective assessment and an appropriate physical examination aligned with hypothesis-driven clinical reasoning.
• Select and apply management strategies for arthrogenous TMD (including manual therapy and load management) and myogenous TMD (bruxism, trigger points, masticatory system).
• Develop patient-centered home exercise and lifestyle ptograms to support self-management and long-term outcomes.
• Use multiple clinical reasoning strategies (minimum of five) to justify assessment choices and management priorities in complex cases.