Long description:

The temporomandibular articulation constitutes bilateral, diarthrodial, temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Each joint is formed by a temporal mandibular condyle and its corresponding cavity like articular eminence and glenoid fossa. The TMJ and its associated structures play a vital role in the guidance of mandibular motion and dispersing stresses produced by everyday tasks, such as swallowing, speaking and chewing. TMJ disorders (TMD) are a class of degenerative musculoskeletal conditions associated with morphological and functional deformities. TMD include abnormalities of the intra-articular discal position and / or structure as well as dysfunction of the associated musculature. Symptoms and signs include painful joints, clicking or grating sound, or deviating restricted range of motion, and cranial and / or muscular pain known as Orofacial pain. This is an active field of investigation and future studies will not only seek to clarify specific causal pathways but translate this knowledge into mechanism-directed diagnosis and treatment.