Temporomandibular dysfunction: internal derangement associated with facial and/or mandibular asymmetry.

The aim of this study was to observe the association between facial and/or mandibular asymmetry and internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). The sample consisted of 17 patients with facial and/or condylar-mandibular asymmetry who had signs and symptoms of TMD. They were evaluated by means of clinical examination, panoramic radiography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and in some cases, computed tomography (CT) and scintigraphy. All patients with facial and/or condylar-mandibular asymmetry had TMJ disc displacement (DD). The results of this study suggest a possible association between facial and/or condylar-mandibular asymmetry and DD. Based on these findings, it is important to consider the need for treating this disorder, particularly in growing patients, in order to prevent the generation of asymmetry, which is very difficult to treat once it sets in.