Chondrocalcinosis of the temporomandibular joint: clinical considerations and case report

The calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease (CPPD) is a disorder that occasionally affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and is characterized by the presence of crystals in the intra-articular and peri-articular tissues. Diagnosis of CPPD is challenging because clinical symptoms and imaging features are not characteristic and may mimic a chondrosarcoma. A case of a 74-year-old woman with CPPD of the TMJ is reported. This disease rarely involves the TMJ and is not usually considered in the differential diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders (TMD).