Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of temporomandibular joint disorders

Background This prospective study aimed to detect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk position in patients with TMJ dysfunction and asymptomatic patients using MRI. Results Out of 40 joints clinically diagnosed as internal derangement, MRI showed anterior disk displacement without reduction in five (12.5%) joints, anterior disk displacement with reduction in 12 (30%) joints while 23 joints showed no disk displacement (57.5%). MRI results of 20 asymptomatic joints showed ADDWR in two (10%) joints and no dis displacement in the remaining 18 (90%) joints. The associations of clinical diagnosis with MRI scan findings in both symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were statistically highly significant (P 0.001). Conclusion From our study, we could conclude that in most of asymptomatic normal TMJs, the disk will be in the normal position with few exceptions. Among displaced disks, ADDWR is the most frequent MRI diagnosis in patients with internal derangement.