Clinical Anatomy of the Temporomandibular Joint

Part VI

Abstract

Anatomy of the temporomandibular joint appears to have an important role in understanding masticatory system and diseases. Although many articles have been reported about the temporomandibular joint anatomy, there are a few reports describing the relations between basic anatomy and clinical condition.
We reviewed current articles about temporomandibular joint anatomy, aimed for clarifying the relations between basic and clinical findings.
Part 6:
There were three ligaments in the temporomandibular joint except the lateral ligament; i.e. the sphenomandibular ligament, the stylomandibular ligament and the tiny ligament. The tiny ligament include discomalleolar ligament and sphenomandibular ligament those continued from the malleus. The functions of those ligaments are unclear, but the discomalleolar ligament might have a function in force of a vector that pull the disk to medial with the medial head of the lateral pterygoid muscle at gape. And the discomalleoar ligament might be derived from upper head of the lateral pterygoid muscle.