[TMJ dysfunction as first symptom of arteritis temporalis (a case report)]

We describe a case of patient 62 year old who suffers from temporal arteritis. It's started atypicalls and because the first symptoms of the disease are often stiffness of the masticatory system and impaired mobility of the lower jaw, the first person to examine the patient may well be a dentist. Other common symptoms are headache, tiredness, slight fever and other general symptoms. Temporal arteritis often raises diagnostic problems, especially with mandibular dysfunction. Correct and early diagnosis is therefore of great importance. The clinical features, electromyographic and histopathological findings and therapy are described and differential diagnostic problems are discussed.