PAIN, TENDERNESS, MANDIBULAR MOBILITY, AND ANTERIOR OPEN BITE IN RELATION TO RADIOGRAPHIC EROSIONS IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT DISEASE

The relationship between radiographic changes and clinical signs and s ymptoms of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was investigated in 39 pa tients with joint diseases. Radiographic erosions were found in 33% of the TMJ joints, and overall frequency of radiographic changes includi ng remodeling was 47%. Fifty-four per cent of the patients had an ante rior open bite (AOB). The AOB showed statistically significant correla tion to the extension of erosion of the TMJ. Pain expressed by means o f a visual analog scale, tenderness to palpation of the TMJ, and press ure pain threshold showed no significant correlation to erosion, but m andibular mobility showed significant negative correlation to erosive changes. In conclusion, AOB is correlated with erosive radiographic ch anges in this patient group, However, the degree of local pain and ten derness showed no correlation to radiographic changes.