Professional paper

Temporomandibular joint disorder in a 12-year-old female patient

Tomislav Badel orcid.org/0000-0001-5872-1132 ; Department of stomathological prosthetics, School of stomatology, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Vlatka Lajnert ; Department of stomathological prosthetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Miljenko Marotti ; Department of diagnostic and interventional radiology, Clinical Hospital sisters of mercy, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Krolo ; Department of diagnostic and interventional radiology, Clinical Hospital sisters of mercy, Zagreb, Croatia
Daniela Kovačević Pavičić ; Department of stomathological prosthetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Introduction: Functional disorders of the stomatognathic system are included
among temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). There are many etiological factors which can
be of different importance for certain patients. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
include the anterior disc displacement (DD) and/or articular osteoarthritis. The prevalence
of displaced TMJ disc in childhood and adolescence is low. The most frequent symptoms are
clinically slightly expressed. Case report: Here, we describe the case of a 12-year-old girl
with TMD. The patient reported clinical signs and symptoms (clicking) in TMJs bilaterally and
has been referred by the orthodontist because she needed treatment of the cross-bite. The
magnetic resonance imaging of the left TMJ showed DD without reduction and DD with
reduction in the right TMJ. Painless clicking in the TMJ is an insufficient clinical finding which
would require treatment of TMD. Conslusions: Clicking is the result of articular disc
repositioning on mouth opening and its return into the displaced position on mouth closing.
So far, there has been only a description of a large number of risk factors and no evidence of
the correlation between causal factors. Therefore, for patients’ benefit, it is necessary to
determine appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in order to improve the
function of the masticatory system. The cross-bite was not an occlusal anomaly associated
with TMD, but the orthodontic treatment as a form of definitive rehabilitation of occlusion
has to be carried out very carefully.

Keywords

disc displacement; magnetic resonance imaging; temporomandibular disorders; temporomandibular joint

Hrčak ID:

25957

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/25957

Publication date:

1.6.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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