Abstract
A Study was made on the effect of wide mouth opening on the rat temporomandibular joint synovium ultrastructurally.
A metal mouth prop was placed between rat's front teeth in order to induce the wide mouth opening at a distance of 6mm or 16mm. The mouth was opend for 3 hours everyday, for 1, 2, 3 and 5days. From immediately to 60 days after treatment the animals were sacrificed and examined electron microscopically. Ultrastructurally, fibrin or fibrinoid formation was seen immediately after 3 or 5 days wide mouth opening at a distance of 16mm. The fibrin or fibrinoid deposition was incorporated and digested by means of type A cells.
It was suggested that the wide mouth opening induced traumatic synovitis in the rat temporomandibular joint.
