Temporomandibular joint findings obtained by brain MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an excellent method for examining the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Forty-five patients, 29 females and 16 males (mean age 44, range 17-77 years), who had been referred for MRI examination of the brain were asked about their TMJ problems by questionnaire. Subjectively, 29 of the 45 were symptom-free, 11 had mild symptoms, while five experienced severe ones. Symptoms of TMJ dysfunction were correlated with MRI findings that applied to the TMJ emerging in connection with a brain MRI. This study was performed in order to obtain valuable information about the structure of the TMJs. Seven of the 29 patients who anamnestically reported no symptoms of TMJ dysfunction had changes in the configuration and/or position of the disk. In this study, MRI findings concerning the TMJ did not clearly correlate with subjective symptoms of TMJ dysfunction.