1999 Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 18-23
The direction of disc displacement and disc with or without reduction was observed to diagnose of temporomandibular joint disorder, and joint pain, trismus, deformed disc, bone change of the mandibular head and degree of mandibular head translation were compared them.
Six hundred eighty-two joints in 341 patients (72 males and 269 females) having temporomandibular joint disorder were examined. They were referred to our clinic, and the diagnosis was done by MRI from 1992 to 1997. The patients were examined with the mouth closed and maximally opened both in sagittal and coronal planes, and a 1.5 Tesla superconductive MR unit was used.
Disc displacement of 367 joints was anterior, 35 joints anteromedial, 9 joints medial and 271 joints negative. Disc displacement with reduction of 166 joints was anterior, 7 joints anteromedial and 4 joints medial. There was no relationship between the direction of disc displacement and joint pain, trismus, deformed disc and bone change of the mandibular head. The incidence of joint pain, trismus, deformed disc and bone change of the mandibular head in patients whose anterior disc displacement without reduction was higher than in those with anterior disc displacement with reduction. However, no statistical differences between anteromedial disc displacement with or without reduction and medial disc displacement with or without reduction were found regarding joint pain, trismus, defoomed disc and bone change of the mandibular head.
In conclusion, the lack of reduction of the disc, which was displaced anteriorly, would impair the degree of joint pain, trismus, deformed disc and change of the mandibular head.
