Radiographic signs of temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis and internal derangement 30 years after nonsurgical treatment

The aim of this study was to evaluate with radiographs the long-term status of temporomandibular joints that were treated nonsurgically for reducing disk displacement (group 1) or permanent disk displacement (group 2) 30 years ago. Transcranial and transpharyngeal radiographs were made before (T1), 2 to 4 years after (T2), and 30 years after (T3) nonsurgical treatment in 65 former patients with temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis. To control the results for aging 35 matched subjects (group 3) underwent the same radiographic examination. The number and severity of radiographically visible degenerative changes increased significantly from T1 through T2 to T3 in group 1 and in group 2. The increase in these changes was not simply caused by aging, because in approximately three quarters of the temporomandibular joints in group 3, no radiographically visible degenerative changes were found. At all occasions group 2 showed significantly more severe changes than group I. At T3 in 64% of the temporomandibular joints in group 1, no or only slight radiographically visible degenerative changes were observed, whereas in 86% of the temporomandibular joints in group 2, moderate to severe changes were observed. A persisting reducing disk displacement in part of the temporomandibular joints in group 1 might explain this significant difference. In 79% of the temporomandibular joints with moderate to severe radiographically visible degenerative changes at T1, no or only slight progression in the extent of these changes was seen between T2 and T3. Apparently a radiographically stable end stage may be reached within a few years after permanent displacement in most cases. It was concluded that in temporomandibular joints with reducing disk displacement, no or only slight radiographically visible degenerative changes develop, even if this condition persists for several decades. On the other hand, in temporomandibular joints with permanent disk displacement, radiographically visible degenerative changes are extensive in the vast majority of cases.