Osteoarthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint: A Narrative Overview

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study reviewed the literature to summarize the current and recent knowledge of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA). Methods: Through a literature review, this work summarizes many concepts related to TMJOA. Results: Although many signaling pathways have been investigated, the etiopathogenesis of TMJOA remains unclear. Some clinical signs are suggestive of TMJOA; however, diagnosis is mainly based on radiological findings. Treatment options include noninvasive, minimally invasive, and surgical techniques. Several study models have been used in TMJOA studies because there is no gold standard model. Conclusion: More research is needed to develop curative treatments for TMJOA, which could be tested with reliable in vitro models, and to explore tissue engineering to regenerate damaged temporomandibular joints.

Causal effects of life course adiposity on temporomandibular disorders: A Mendelian randomization study

“…Moreover, these observational studies primarily employed cross‐sectional designs and did not thoroughly investigate the long‐term effects of early‐life adiposity on the subsequent development of TMDs. Additionally, the criteria for diagnosing TMDs in children under 10 years old are still a subject of debate 30 . By utilizing the MR approach and genetic variants as proxies for each trait, our study consistently demonstrated the effects of early and adult adiposity on TMDs.…”

“…Additionally, the criteria for diagnosing TMDs in children under 10 years old are still a subject of debate. 30 By utilizing the MR approach and genetic variants as proxies for each trait, our study consistently demonstrated the effects of early and adult adiposity on TMDs. Our findings suggested that adiposity during specific stages of the life cycle may causally decrease the risk of TMDs.…”

Causal effects of educational attainment on temporomandibular disorders and the mediating pathways: A Mendelian randomization study

“…The candidate mediators included nine psychology-related traits (depression, feeling lonely, miserable, guilty, fed-up, nervous, worry, hurt, and tense), 19,20 four smoking and dietary behaviours (ever smoked, smoking initial, cigarettes smoked per day, alcohol intake frequency), 21 three adiposity traits (body mass index [BMI], waistto-hip ratio [WHR], body fat percentage), 22 five sleep-related traits (apnea, snoring, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration), 23,24 one physical activity (moderate to vigorous physical activity levels), 19 two autoimmune disorders (systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], Sjogren's syndrome [SS]), 25 insufficient Vitamin D (vitamin D supplement, serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels), 25 estradiol levels in females and males, 26 lower back pain 27 and average total household income. 28 Detailed information on all GWAS included in our study is shown in Table S2.…”

Evaluation of the relationship between condylar bony changes and condylar bone density in the temporomandibular joint structures: A CBCT study

“…33 The most lateral part of the condyle is depicted as a 2-dimensional image in traditional radiography, such as panoramic radiography. 34 MRI is a technique used to evaluate the TMJ's soft tissue, altered disk position, and effusion 35 and had reduced spatial resolution and thicker slices when used clinically. 36 Hence, it was considered to have lower reliability for detecting TMJ osteoarthritis.…”