Prevalence of Osteoarthritis Using Cone Beam in Patients at the University of Cuenca.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in patients from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Cuenca during the period 2017-2023.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted, evaluating 201 computed tomography scans obtained from the Imaging Department of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Cuenca from 2017 to 2023. A total of 402 temporomandibular joints were analyzed for imaging characteristics such as subarticular bone erosion, articular flattening, osteophytes, subchondral cysts, and sclerosis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of OA was 31.1%, with 8.5% of male patients and 22.6% of female patients diagnosed. Among the joints analyzed, 27.3% showed osteophytes, 7.4% showed erosion, and 17.4% showed pseudocysts.

CONCLUSION

Less than half of the joints analyzed showed signs of OA, with females being the most affected and ages 18 to 28 years being the most common.