RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT IN PATIENTS WITH GENERALIZED OSTEOARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

This is the first study concerned with radiographic characteristics in patients with generalized osteoarthritis and signs and symptoms of te mporomandibular joint involvement. For comparison, patients with rheum atoid arthritis and temporomandibular joint involvement were used. The patient material comprised 20 patients with generalized osteoarthriti s (20 joints) and 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (21 joints). T he radiographic methods were corrected sagittal tomography (hard tissu e changes, joint space, and condylar position), frontal tomography (ha rd tissue changes), and individualized oblique lateral transcranial pr ojections (condylar translation). Sixteen (80%) joints in the group of patients with generalized osteoarthritis and 15 (71%) joints in the g roup with rheumatoid arthritis revealed structural changes. The condyl e was the predominant location. No radiographic criterion was pathogno monic for generalized osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. However, osteophytes, flattening of the condyle, or a reduced joint space was observed more often in joints with generalized osteoarthritis, whereas erosions in the condyle were more common in joints with, rheumatoid a rthritis. The radiographic findings in patients with generalized osteo arthritis are more similar to those seen in patients who have the comm on form of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis than to those in pat ients with rheumatoid arthritis.