Hard and soft tissue imaging of the temporomandibular joint 30 years after diagnosis of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement.

PURPOSE: This article describes the clinical and imaging findings in the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) of patients 30 years after the initial diagnosis of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-five TMJs with a history of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement and 37 contralateral TMJs that were asymptomatic 30 years ago were examined in 46 former patients. To visualize degenerative changes of the bony parts of the TMJ, transpharyngeal and transcranial radiographs were made; to visualize disc position, sagittal T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images were made. For comparison, 22 TMJs of an age-matched control group without complaints related to the masticatory system were similarly examined.

RESULTS: Thirty years after the initial diagnosis of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement, clinical signs in former patients hardly differed from those of control subjects. radiographic signs were significantly more common and more severe in former patients. A high percentage of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement was seen on MRI in both TMJs with a history of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement and in the contralateral TMJs. It appeared that osteoarthrosis and internal derangement in the contralateral TMJs had developed asymptomatically in most cases. None of the patients had required treatment for the contralateral TMJ; only one fourth of the patients had noticed symptoms. In the control subjects, osteoarthrosis and internal derangement were infrequently seen. A significant correlation was found between disc position and the severity of radiographically detectable degenerative changes of the TMJ.

CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that 30 years after initial diagnosis there were few clinical signs of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement, although radiographic signs were extensive. Bilateral osteoarthrosis and internal derangement, with one symptomatic and one asymptomatic TMJ, is a common phenomenon. Moderate to severe radiographically detectable degenerative changes may be the only sign of an underlying internal derangement.