Clinical and radiological study of temporomandibular osteonecrosis in 50 patients

Objectives: to present a comparative study of the clinical and radiological TMJ signs in 50 patients with associated internal disorders-condylar osteonecrosis (20.4-61.2 years; mean age 44.7 years; sex ratio M/F=1/25) versus 226 patients with TMJ internal disorders not osteonecrosis-associated (10.8-81.1 years; mean age 36.4 years; sex ratio M/F ¼). Experimental methods: Clinical study was based on pain (Visual Analogic Scale, VAS) and occlusal analisis. TMJ disorders were evidenced using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (Magnetom Symphony; Siemens, Erlanger; 1.5 Tesla). Results: TMJ osteonecrosis resulted unilateral or bilateral, more frequently in female (96 %) than in male (4%) and also evidenced in young adults. High pain intensity (VAS=8) was correlated with MRI images of osteonecrosis in acute phase. Disc displacement without reduction resulted statistically more frequently (p<0.05) in the ipsilateral and contralateral TMJ-osteonecrosis associated than in TMJ without osteonecrosis. Conclusions: Clinical signs of TMJ osteonecrosis resulted not specifically and indicate MRI images as necessary.