[Differential diagnosis of reciprocal joint clicking using electronic axiography (SAS)]

25 patients with reciprocal clicking in one or both temporomandibular joints were examined clinically and with an electronic axiographic system (SAS-System). Studying the direction of the sudden change of the condylar path during clicking, we established a tentative differential diagnosis of "centric anterior dislocations" of the disc and "eccentric posterior dislocations". Interpreting the axiographic pathways we found an eccentric posterior dislocation of the disc in 20 TMJs. But in at least 11 cases, which could be re-evaluated by magnetic resonance tomography (CMR), the diagnosis "eccentric posterior dislocation" was false. As we found several variations of anterior dislocations with a cranial and lateral deviation of the condylar path during opening clicking, the diagnosis of "eccentric disc dislocations" established by axiography was not reliable.