The purpose of this investigation is to assess the current clinical practices by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) in the United States regarding diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
We implemented a cross-sectional survey of academic OMSs in the United States via an electronic survey. The survey included respondent demographic data, patient volumes, diagnostic methods, and management practices for children with JIA and TMJ involvement. The results of the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The study respondents were composed of 52 surgeons. Most respondents were men (n = 43, 87.8%), were aged 51 to 60 years (n = 20, 39.2%), were in full-time academics (n = 42, 84%), had more than 20 years of experience (n = 26, 50%), and were seeing 1 to 5 patients with JIA per month (n = 21, 46.7%). Most patients were aged 11 to 15 years (n = 22, 61.1%) and were managed with 1 to 2 systemic medications (n = 30, 81.1%). All OMSs reported evaluating TMJ involvement by reviewing patient history, clinical examination, and imaging. The most commonly used imaging modality was panoramic radiographs (n = 24, 63.2%) and magnetic resonance imaging (n = 22, 57.9%). OMSs decided to inject intra-articular medication based on history and symptoms (n = 36, 94.7%). Once in remission, patients were followed up at yearly (n = 12, 36.4%) or 6-month (n = 10, 30.3%) intervals.
Our study shows that, in general, there is consensus among US OMSs regarding diagnosis of TMJ involvement in children with JIA. There is less concordance among the respondents regarding treatment. Currently, management of TMJ involvement in children with JIA is mostly based on expert opinions and retrospective studies. This study further highlights the need for randomized clinical trials and multi-institution collaboration to allow for evidence-based diagnosis and treatment.