Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a degenerative disorder of multifactorial etiology, requiring interdisciplinary management. It is considered the most common degenerative joint disease. For this reason, it is important to know asprecisely as possible the internal structures of the area where the intervention or treatment is required, in this case the TMJ. For this purpose, there are several additional radiographic examinations such as: computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and finally cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), due to its ability to visualize three-dimensionally and with good definition the bone structures and different pathologies or present alterations. Despite this, there is not enough current evidence to demonstrate the frequency of osteoarthritis bone signs present in TMJ according to age and gender in the Chilean population. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of bone signs of TMJ osteoarthritis through CBCT in a Chilean adult population attended in a radiological center during 2021-2022. A descriptive observational study was made, where CBCT radiological reports were observed in adult patients attended in a private radiological center in Valdivia during the first semester of 2021 to the first semester of 2022. The presence of the following imaging bone signs was evaluated: flattening of the articular surface, surface erosion, condylar osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis, subcortical cysts, generalized sclerosis, intraarticular free bodies, complete and partial reabsorption of the condylar head and heterogeneous trabeculate. Of a total of 101 examinations, 70 examinations were considered valid for this study according to the selection criteria. The remaining 31 examinations did not qualify according to the criteria or did not present TMJ osteoarthritis. Of the 70 patients, 58 were female and 12 were male. The average age was 37.2 years. The most frequent imaging signs were: heterogeneous trabeculation, flattening of the articular surface, subchondral condylar sclerosis.
KEY WORDS: Cone-Beam computed tomography, temporo-mandibular joint, bone diseases, dsteoarthritis.
How to cite this article
SOTOMAYOR, C. R. S.; MÜLLE-WIEHOFF, R. M. F. & ROSAS, C. M. Frequency of bone signs of osteoarthritis in the temporomandibular joint in a Chilean adult population using CBCT, during 2021-2022. Int. Odontostomat., 17(4):505-510, 2023.
