AIMS: To assess the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) bony changes in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of adult subjects without ongoing orofacial pain or complaints from the TMJ. METHODS: The study included 84 TMJs from 28 men and 14 women (mean age [± SD]: 51 ± 11 years) without orofacial pain or TMJ complaints who were participants in a study of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. They were examined before any treatment with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders and with CBCT (NewTom VGi; 15 × 15 cm, exposure time 18 seconds, axial thickness 0.3 mm). Osseous TMJ deviations were assessed blindly and classified. RESULTS: Degenerative changes were noted in the CBCT images of 33 (39.3%) of the TMJs, of which 21 were classified as osteoarthritic alterations and 12 as indeterminate changes of osteoarthritis. Two TMJs were clinically classified as osteoarthrosis and 6 as disc displacement with reduction. The CBCT images of the 2 TMJs with a clinical diagnosis of osteoarthrosis showed also bony changes, but the CBCT images also revealed osteoarthritic bony changes in the 18 TMJs without any clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: CBCT images of asymptomatic adult TMJs commonly show degenerative bony alterations. Accordingly, such radiographic findings should be used with care and only as a supplement to clinical assessment.
AIMS: To assess the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) bony changes in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of adult subjects without ongoing orofacial pain or complaints from the TMJ. METHODS: The study included 84 TMJs from 28 men and 14 women (mean age [± SD]: 51 ± 11 years) without orofacial pain or TMJ complaints who were participants in a study of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. They were examined before any treatment with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders and with CBCT (NewTom VGi; 15 × 15 cm, exposure time 18 seconds, axial thickness 0.3 mm). Osseous TMJ deviations were assessed blindly and classified. RESULTS: Degenerative changes were noted in the CBCT images of 33 (39.3%) of the TMJs, of which 21 were classified as osteoarthritic alterations and 12 as indeterminate changes of osteoarthritis. Two TMJs were clinically classified as osteoarthrosis and 6 as disc displacement with reduction. The CBCT images of the 2 TMJs with a clinical diagnosis of osteoarthrosis showed also bony changes, but the CBCT images also revealed osteoarthritic bony changes in the 18 TMJs without any clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: CBCT images of asymptomatic adult TMJs commonly show degenerative bony alterations. Accordingly, such radiographic findings should be used with care and only as a supplement to clinical assessment.
Authors: Jonas Bianchi; João Roberto Gonçalves; Antônio Carlos de Oliveira Ruellas; Júlia Vieira Pastana Bianchi; Lawrence M Ashman; Marilia Yatabe; Erika Benavides; Fabiana Naomi Soki; Lucia Helena Soares Cevidanes Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-08-10 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Benjamin J Bielajew; Ryan P Donahue; M Gabriela Espinosa; Boaz Arzi; Dean Wang; David C Hatcher; Nikolaos K Paschos; Mark E K Wong; Jerry C Hu; Kyriacos A Athanasiou Journal: Cell Rep Med Date: 2021-04-14