Korean J Orthod.  2005 Oct;35(5):398-407.

Morphologic and positional assessment of temporomandibular joint disk in facial asymmetric patients by magnetic resonance imaging

• Zou B
• Kim TW
• Choi SC

Abstract

The present study was conducted to examine the morphometrics and function of the disk on both sides among patients with facial asymmetry (FA) and to elucidate plausible correlations between internal derangement (ID) and FA. The sample was composed of 10 males and 27 females with FA. The disk status of all subjects was evaluated by bilateral high resolution magnetic resonance scans in the sagittal (closed and open) and coronal (closed) planes. Five types of disk displacement were identified accordingly. The disk function was diagnosed as normal disk function, disk displacement with reduction, and disk displacement without reduction. The disk shape on sagittal MRI in closed position was classified as bi-concave, biplanar, funnel/hemiconvex, and deformed. The disk position, translation and rotation were also measured. The difference between the shifted side and non-shifted side was analyzed by statistical analysis. Approximately 70% of the patients in the present study showed unilateral or bilateral ID. It was found that anterior disk displacements (ADD), especially rotational ADD, occurred more frequently in the shifted side, while normal disk position was observed mainly in the non-shifted side (p < 0.01). The disk of the shifted side showed significantly deformed configuration and inferior-anterior disk position. However, the disk of the non-deviated side showed hyper-mobility during jaw opening movement. These results demonstrate that in FA patients, the disks status of the shifted side is different from that of the non-shifted side, a phenomenon that could be correlated to facial asymmetry.

Keyword

Temporomandibular joint disk; Facial asymmetry; Magnetic resonance image

MeSH Terms

Facial Asymmetry
Female
Humans
Jaw
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Temporomandibular Joint Disc*
Temporomandibular Joint*