Diagnosis of medial temporomandibular joint disc displacement with dual space anteroposterior arthrotomography: correlation with cryosectional morphology.

This study was undertaken to determine if it is possible to identify medial disc displacement with dual space anteroposterior (AP) arthrotomography. Contrast medium was injected into the upper and lower joint spaces of 11 fresh temporomandibular joint (TMJ) autopsy specimens and arthrotomograms were obtained with an AP projection. The arthrotomograms of five joints showed an enlargement of the medial recess of the upper joint compartment with folding of the disc inferiorly. This was interpreted as an indication of medial disc displacement. Cryosections confirmed medial displacement of the disc in these five joints and showed a slight medial displacement of a disc in one additional joint. Retrospective evaluation of the arthrotomogram of this joint showed that the disc was slightly medially displaced, but without folding. The results of this study suggest that AP dual space arthrotomography can be useful for the diagnosis of medial disc displacement in cadaver material.