[Involvement of the temporomandibular joints in Bechterew's disease]

Temporomandibular joints are involved in Bechterew's diseases in 59.6% of cases, more often in the peripheral form of the disease. Involvement at the debut of the disease was observed in 33.3%, including monoarthritis in 28.6%. The incidence of these lesions correlated with involvement of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Unstable symmetrical arthritides with early rigidity predominate in the clinical picture. Extraarticular symptoms, such as defiguration, tenosynovitis, are typical. X-ray examination reveals pseudodilatation of the joint fissure, periarticular osteosclerosis, ossification of the ligaments, early ankylosis without predestruction. Erosive changes of the temporomandibular joint are not typical. Scintigraphy with pertechnephore is an informative method for ruling out other diseases of the temporomandibular joint.