Osteoarthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Osteoarthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Derangement, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis of the temporomandibular joint: implications, diagnosis, and management.

Broussard JS

University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Oral Health Center, 3151 South Hoover Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-7792, USA. jbroussa@usc.edu

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is often believed to bea young person's malady. However, geriatric patients also present with clinical findings of TMJ clicking, locking, crepitation, limited opening, and pain. With our aging population and the high prevalence of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases in the elderly, it is important to understand the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management of derangement, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis of the TMJ. Although arthritis of the TMJ usually causes only mild-to-moderate dysfunction in older patients, they present challenges related to medication use and comorbidity. This article presents the most recent understanding and therapeutic protocols for patient diagnosis and management.

Published 9 March 2005 in Dent Clin North Am, 49(2): 327-42.
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