DISK DISPLACEMENT AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT SYMPTOMS IN ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY PATIENTS

The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of disk displ acement and temporomandibular joint symptoms in orthognathic surgery p atients. Fifty-three consecutive patients with different types of dent ofacial anomalies were examined clinically and with bilateral arthrogr aphy. Disk displacement unilaterally or bilaterally was found in 57% o f the patients or 46% of the joints. Displacement with reduction was s een in 38 joints, and displacement without reduction was seen in 11 jo ints. Fifty-three percent of the patients had pain in the temporomandi bular joint or masticatory muscles, 30% of the joints demonstrated cli cking, and 4% had crepitation. No association was found between disk d isplacement and clinical symptoms except for an association between cl icking and anterior disk displacement with reduction. Neither could an association between disk displacement and the type of dentofacial ano maly be appreciated. It was concluded that disk displacement was frequ ent in patients with dentofacial anomalies, but no relationship to tem poromandibular joint symptoms and the type of dentofacial anomaly coul d be clearly demonstrated.