Morphology of the mandibular fossa and the articular eminence in temporomandibular joints with anterior disk displacement

Correlation between articular eminence steepness measured with cone-beam computed tomography and clinical dysfunction index in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction

“…40 Many other studies represented a steeper slope in the patients with anterior disk displacement than the control group. 25,26 However, Ren et al found articular eminence inclination to be higher in symptom-free patients than in patients with TMJ disorder. 41 Similarly, Keller and Carano found that the angle between occlusal plane and the slope of the eminence was significantly lower in patients with TMD than in symptom-free group.…”

“…19,20 Similarly, associations between articular eminence slope and gender, 1,3 age, 1,3 ethnicity, 5 osteoarthritic changes of condyles, 21 disk displacement. 25,26 However, other investigators failed to demonstrate a clear relationship between the angle of the articular eminence and the severity of TMD using CBCT. 6,9 Many authors believe the requisite of a standardized index for classification of patients with signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders to measure and compare the severity of TMJ disorders in different populations and to assess the improvement of patients' condition after treatment and also a useful implement to study etiological factors.…”

Pterygoid Dysjunction

“…The lower part is composed of fibrous tissue, which is vascular and innervated by free nerve ending fibers that are predominantly from the auriculotemporal nerve. 2 According to Wheelock and Mercuri, 3 there is a distinct, thin elastic tissue beneath the neurovascular layer.…”

“…2). 2 The displacement of the disk could be caused by trauma or insidious injury due to long-term spasm of the lateral pterygoid, especially the upper head that is attached to the anteromedial part of the disk. Fibrous tissue fraying may be an inciting factor for disk displacement.…”

3D Morphology Analysis of TMJ Articular Eminence in Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…The articular eminence has an important role in the biomechanics of the TMJ [3–5], with some authors suggesting that its morphology may be a factor in the etiology of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Also, the eminence shape has an effect on determining whether a displaced disc is reducible; it may be reducible when it returns spontaneously to the glenoid cavity, or nonreducible when the disc remains dislocated [3, 6–11].…”