Search

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and histological changes in TMJs with disc displacement., Method: Samples from capsules and posterior disc attachments from 27 TMJ pain patients who underwent surgery were compared with samples from seven asymptomatic persons., Results: On logistic regression analysis, retrodiscal tissues from the painful joints demonstrated a significantly higher density of fibroblasts, presence of narrowed and obliterated arterial lumens, and a significantly lower distribution of elastic fibers., Conclusion: The results indicate that there is a difference between painful and asymptomatic joints at the microscopic level.

Numerous temporomandibular joint autopsy studies have been presented in the literature for the last two decades, but signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders before death were not available. To investigate the clinical significance of morphologic changes in the temporomandibular joint, 19 persons were clinically examined for signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. The temporomandibular joints were subsequently analyzed macroscopically at autopsy and statistically associated with history and clinical findings. The average time between clinical examination and autopsy was 12 months. Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were not common findings for these persons. Morphologically, 31 of the 34 joints showed different forms of changes such as deviation in form, arthrosis, disk displacement, disk deformation, and adhesions. Crepitation showed a significant association with arthrosis. It was concluded that the association between pain and dysfunction and joint morphology is complex and gross morphologic alterations can be present in the absence of temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction.

Comparisons among several temporomandibular joint autopsy studies indicate that the frequency of arthrosis and disk displacement is higher in elderly persons. The aim of this study was to investigate type, frequency, and location of morphologic changes in temporomandibular joint autopsy specimens divided into two groups according to age and to determine the differences between the two groups. For this purpose 68 temporomandibular joints were removed from 37 persons at autopsy. Group I (young) consisted of 36 specimens belonging to 19 persons with a mean age of 30 years (range, 16 to 39 years). Group II (elderly) consisted of 32 specimens from persons with a mean age of 68 years (range, 55 to 78 years). Significant differences between the two groups were observed with respect to several of the morphologic changes that were evaluated. The results of this study suggest that the frequency of morphologic changes such as deviation in form, arthrosis, perforations, disk displacement, disk deformation, and adhesions is higher in the temporomandibular joints of elderly persons.