Program including abstracts as pdf available here

OP 137
Title
TMJ OSTEOARTHRITIS DEVELOPMENT - DOES DISC DISPLACEMENT PLAy A ROLE?
Authors
A. AbRAHAMSSON 1 , L.z. ARVIDSSON 1 , H-J. SMITH 2 , T.A. LARHEIM 1
aBSTracTS OP 13
Affiliations
1 Dept. of Maxillofacial Radiology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University
of Oslo, Oslo, NORWAY, 2 Dept. of Radiology, Oslo University Hospital, The National Hospital
and Faculty of Medicine, University, Oslo, NORWAY
Body
Objectives: To investigate the relationship between disc displacement and osteoarthritis (OA)
in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in a long-time perspective, i.e. by performing a radiological
follow-up of individuals at least 10 years after the baseline examination.
Methods: From the archives at our department we selected three groups of individuals from
the period 1985-2002. The study group consisted of 13 TMD patients diagnosed with disc displacement
but without any sign of OA in at least one TMJ at baseline. The second group, named
the reference group, consisted of 8 symptomatic TMD patients without disc displacement
and OA signs at baseline. The third group consisted of 4 asymptomatic volunteers without disc
displacement and OA at baseline. All individuals agreed to participate in a radiological followup
between 10 and 20 years after the baseline examination. The imaging modalities used were
arthrotomography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The
images were assessed for cortical bone integrity and for disk position at closed and opened
mouth.
Results: Of the 13 patients in the study group, 7 with disc displacement had developed OA.
The individuals in the reference and control groups with a normal disc position at baseline had
not developed OA in the observation period.
Conclusions: The study is in progress but the preliminary conclusion indicates that the development
of OA in the TMJ seems to be related to a preexisting disc displacement. Because of
the limited number of individuals this conclusion should be interpreted with caution.
Keywords
Osteoarthritis, Internal derangemnet, Magnetic resonance imagning
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