TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN ADOLESCENTS

Radiographic findings in temporomandibular joints (TMJ) of asymptomati c adolescents have not been reported, probably because such patients a re unlikely to undergo routine TMJ radiography, The purpose of this pr ospective study was to document radiographic findings in TMJ's of adol escents without a history of TMJ dysfunction to determine prevalence o f osseous, positional and functional abnormalities. Corrected sagittal TMJ tomographs in closed and open positions from pre-orthodontic reco rds of 498 adolescent patients aged 8 to 15 years old were studied by one observer, Positional, functional or osseous abnormalities were eac h found in less than 10% of TMJ's, One percent of joints demonstrated marked limited mobility. There was no significant difference between r ight and left sides. Our results suggest that routine radiography of T MJ's in adolescents is not a useful screening tool although longitudin al studies are necessary to determine whether asymptomatic adolescent patients with radiographic abnormalities will develop signs and sympto ms of TMJ dysfunction.