[Pilot study of trans-oral ultrasonography of temporomandibular joint in oblique sagittal plane].

This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility of trans-oral ultrasonography of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in oblique sagittal plane. Six volunteers who were receiving residency training at Hainan Hospital of General Hospital of Chinese PLA were recruited into this study, five of them had normal TMJ and one had anterior displaced disc all of which had been confirmed by MRI. A hockey-stick-shaped ultrasound probe was placed between the cheek and maxilla to push against the mucosa lateral to posterior maxillary tuberosity, and every volunteer underwent bilateral scans. The sonographic imaging were completed successfully on the six volunteers; the condyle, the superior and the inferior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle, the disc and the maxillary vein were clearly identified in all the twelve ultrasonographic scans. The feasibility of trans-oral ultrasonography of TMJ in oblique sagittal plane was confirmed.