Clinical findings related to morphologic changes in TMJ autopsy specimens

Numerous temporomandibular joint autopsy studies have been presented in the literature for the last two decades, but signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders before death were not available. To investigate the clinical significance of morphologic changes in the temporomandibular joint, 19 persons were clinically examined for signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. The temporomandibular joints were subsequently analyzed macroscopically at autopsy and statistically associated with history and clinical findings. The average time between clinical examination and autopsy was 12 months. Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were not common findings for these persons. Morphologically, 31 of the 34 joints showed different forms of changes such as deviation in form, arthrosis, disk displacement, disk deformation, and adhesions. Crepitation showed a significant association with arthrosis. It was concluded that the association between pain and dysfunction and joint morphology is complex and gross morphologic alterations can be present in the absence of temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction.