Temporomandibular joint imaging. Practical application of available technology.

Clinical afflictions of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are common, but TMJ afflictions remain one of the most poorly understood and controversial areas of clinical practice. Theories of TMJ pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and patient disposition abound. Many afflicted patients have undergone expensive, protracted, and fruitless therapeutic endeavors, many of which are without scientific basis, causing many health insurers to exclude evaluation and treatment of TMJ disorders from coverage. Medical imaging has a central role in establishing a correct diagnosis. Available imaging procedures include roentgenography, arthrography, videofluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography.