Imaging Sci Dent.  2020 Jun;50(2):99-104. 10.5624/isd.2020.50.2.99.

Intra-articular calcifications of the temporomandibular joint and associations with degenerative bone alterations

• Almeida Dd
• Souza PSAPd
• Mendonça LPd
• Verner FS
• Devito KL

• KMID: 2506006
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2020.50.2.99

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images to determine the prevalence of calcifications in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to evaluate any associations between the presence of such calcifications and degenerative bone alterations of the TMJ, sex, or age.
Materials and Methods
In this retrospective study, 1,058 CBCT exams were analyzed, and data regarding the presence and quantity of calcifications, the affected side, any degenerative alterations of the condyle, sex, and age were collected. To evaluate associations between the presence of calcifications and sex or age, the Fisher exact test or the Spearman correlation coefficient, respectively, was used. To assess the association between the presence of calcifications and joint bone alterations, the chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used. The significance level adopted was 5% (p<0.05).
Results
Twenty-eight patients (2.7%) presented with TMJ calcifications, including 23 women (82.1%) and 5 men (17.9%). Significant correlations were found between the presence of calcifications and age (p<0.05) and between the presence of calcifications and the presence of condylar alterations (p<0.05), with 73.2% of patients with bone alterations having TMJ calcifications.
Conclusion
It may be concluded that, although rare (with a prevalence of only 2.7%), intra-articular calcifications are associated with both degenerative bone alterations and age.

Keyword

Temporomandibular Joint; Joint Diseases; Prevalence; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography