Temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis. Correlation of clinical and arthroscopic findings with degree of molar support.

The prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthrosis and synovitis was compared in 60 patients with painful chronic locking of the TMJ. Thirty patients had reduced molar occlusion, and as controls, 30 age-matched fully dentate patients were examined. Assessment comprised clinical examination (crepitation), tomography (sclerosis and erosions), and arthroscopy (cartilage involvement) of the TMJ. Arthroscopic signs of osteoarthrosis and synovitis were frequent in both groups. The highest frequency of osteoarthrosis was diagnosed by arthroscopy. With regard to clinical signs and symptoms, tomographic signs of osteoarthrosis, and arthroscopic diagnoses, no statistical differences were found between fully dentate subjects and those with reduced molar occlusion. The results do not support the concept that prevention of TMJ osteoarthrosis is an indication for prosthetic replacement of lost molars.