Subchondral Bone Resorption in Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Abstract

Several tissues are involved in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) health, including synovial fluid, the TMJ disc, articular cartilage, and subchondral bone. This article focuses upon bone resorption in temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) and has the following objectives: (1) to provide a brief review of the current understanding of bone formation and bone resorption (bone remodeling); (2) to present selected case studies which illustrate the spectrum of bone resorption patterns in TMD patients of various ages; (3) to review previous reports in the literature describing loss of subchondral bone in TMD, and (4) to discuss the interaction between osteoporosis and TMD and the potential role for antiresorbing agents in TMD therapy.

Progression of Cartilage Degradation, Bone Resorption and Pain in Rat Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis Induced by Injection of Iodoacetate

“…Although MIA was injected into the upper compartment and should have a more direct action on the surface of the temporal fossa than on the condyle, the destruction of condylar cartilage and subchondral bone was more severe than that of the temporal fossa. This feature is similar to the clinical and experimental observations that the condyle is active and undergoes greater destruction and remodeling [42], [43], [44]. Interestingly, the disc did not prevent MIA from penetrating into the lower compartment.…”

Relation between osteoporosis and radiographic and clinical signs of osteoarthritis/arthrosis in the temporomandibular joint: a population‐based, cross‐sectional study in an older Swedish population

“…The visually sparse trabeculation and cortical erosion of mandibular bone could be a predictor of fracture incidence in other bones. Associations to tooth loss, periodontal disease, peri‐implantitis, periapical lesions and OA in the TMJ have been evaluated. The issue is obviously complex and the relationship between OA in the TMJ and osteoporosis in other bones has not been conclusively investigated.…”

Temporomandibular joint assessment in patients with articular disc displacement by way of computed tomography - radiological parameters of shape, size and location of mandibular heads

“…Moreover, other authors do confirm that the dislocation of AD of the temporo-mandibular joint leads to the remodeling of the bony structures of TMJ (e.g. deformation and arthritic changes of the mandibular heads), as well as changes of position of the condylar process within the articular fossa [1,2,5,6,7,8,9,12].…”