Research Interest

Dr. Shaefer’s research interests involve investigating the role of inflammatory mediators in chronic facial pain, the efficacy of treatments for orofacial pain / temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and the validity of diagnostic tests for the identification of TMD. He specifically is interested in establishing appropriate diagnostic criteria for the MRI diagnosis of the stages of TMJ disk displacement and in understanding the etiology of myofascial trigger points in masticatory muscles. He has 15 years of experience in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is involved in research to understand the indications for the use of dental OSA appliances.