Osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. A clinical and radiological study of 16 patients.

A study is made of the clinical and radiological characteristics of 16 patients with osteoarthrosis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The study comprised those patients satisfying the diagnostic criteria for OA proposed by Stegenga et al. in 1989. The patients were subjected to a clinical and radiological diagnostic protocol (including the obtainment of magnetic resonance imaging data). The most relevant clinical findings were the detection of crepitants in 93.8% of cases, with a reduction in mandibular movement range. Radiology in turn identified joint surface alterations in 62% of cases on the right side, and in 68.8% of the patients on the left side. The joint disc dynamic position study showed anterior displacement without reduction in 50% of cases in the right joint and in 43.8% of patients in the left joint. In conclusion, patients with OA of the TMJ present joint sounds and a reduced mandibular movement range - the salient radiological characteristic being altered joint morphology.