A CLOSER LOOK AT TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT OSTEOARTTHRIS: PATHOBIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is widely involved in rheumatic disorders, especially in inflammatory but also in degenerative conditions. The burden of TMJ osteoarthritis is related to both soft and hard tissue damage meaning cartilage, subchondral bone and, to a lesser extent, synovial membrane involvement resulting in a wide range of clinical signs and symptoms and significant disability. The diagnosis of degenerative TMJ disease is challenging comprising a comprehensive algorithm based on both clinical as well as imaging techniques from simple radiology to newer ones such as cone beam computer tomography.

Keywords

• degenerative disease
• temporomandibular joint
• TMJ osteoarthritis