Temporomandibular Disorders in Natural Occlusion and in FPD

Temporomandibular joint is a craniomandibular joint, also referred as giglymoid diarthrodial joint due to its two types of motion as hinge in the lower joint cavity and gliding/sliding movement in upper joint cavity. Its articular surface is lined by fibro-cartilage and a fibrous articulating disc divide joint into two joint cavities. The unique nature about this joint is that both right and left joints works together. If you want to study a joint you need to know about the muscles working on it.There are four pairs of muscles of mastication namely temporalis, masseter,medial and lateral pterygoid muscles along with some supra hyoid muscles are working on this joint. All the problems during functional movement of mandible before establishing occlusion are answered by muscles, while after teeth contact any problem in occlusion is answered by Temporomandibular joint.