Dental Management in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood rheumatic disease. It can involve the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) at onset; however, this is frequently overlooked until later stages when pain and dysfunction occur. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the case of a 14-year-old female with malocclusion and TMJ pain who presented for orthodontic treatment. The orthodontist referred her to the orofacial pain specialist to rule out TMJ dysfunction before starting care. After a comprehensive evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with JIA. Dentists can play a key role in the initial detection of systemic diseases causing TMJ pathology. This case report outlines the main orofacial signs and symptoms a dentist needs to be familiar with for the prompt identification of JIA, further reiterating the importance of an early diagnosis for a better prognosis and quality of life of a young patient with JIA.