Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint.

Abstract

AbstractThe dental profession's growing interest in the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of TMJ disorders makes it important that clinicians be acquainted with synovial chondromatosis. Although it is rare in the temporomandibular joint, an increasing number of cases are being recorded. This article reports on a patient with this disease and looks at the radiological, surgical, and histologic findings. A review of the literature on this subject is also presented.Trauma to the TM joint will cause displaced discal joint tissue to degenerate and remodel itself. We suggest that trauma in the retrodiscal zone may be a cause of metaplastic changes in the area, which can lead to synovial chondromatosis. For this reason, it is important that the clinician be aware of this disease and its pathogenesis to aid in detecting and possibly even preventing it.