Temporomandibular arthropathy: correlation between clinical signs and symptoms and arthroscopic findings

The clinical signs and symptoms of temporomandibular arthropathy were correlated with arthroscopic features of temporomandibular joint disease in 200 consecutive patients. The diagnostic accuracy of the selected clinical signs and symptoms was also tested with arthroscopy as the standard, and sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Pronounced osteoarthrosis was more frequently associated with joint crepitus (P < 0.001). Adhesions were more frequently associated with reduced maximum protrusion (P < 0.001). Crepitation was the only clinical sign that showed acceptable values for SE, SP, PPV, and NPV, and only in diagnosing advanced osteoarthrosis. The values for mild osteoarthrosis were low.