Imaging Modalities In Temporomandibular Disorders

Detailed case history and thorough clinical examination are necessary for determining disease activity and for making the decision whether to go for radiographs or not. TMJ imaging is an adjunct to the clinical examination and provides useful information about the joint components. When selecting a TMJ imaging technique, the clinician must determine what type of information is needed from the imaging study and whether that information will affect patient management and therefore a good quality radiographs are required to make a proper diagnosis and to know the extent of damage to the soft and hard structures. Today with all the advances in the existing techniques and the research work for newer techniques, it had been made possible to clearly visualize the hard and soft tissues of Temporomandibular joint and to modify our treatment plan accordingly. Conventional imaging modalities are basic imaging techniques for assessment of the temporomandibular joint and these can be used for evaluation of osseous disease. Arthrography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging have all been used for evaluation of the soft-tissue components of the joints.