Dysphagia and micrognathia in a patient with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

This report describes the case of a 35-year-old man with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The patient experienced swallowing difficulties that were initially thought to be a result of the disease affecting the cervical spine. A maxillofacial examination, however, showed a total loss of the mandibular condyles, short rami and bodies, and a retrusion of the jaw. This was considered to be the main cause of the dysphagia, and not a glossopharyngeal nerve compression. The surgical-orthodontic management of these difficult cases is discussed.