The objective of this study was to assess the long-term course of radiographically evident degenerative changes of the soft and hard tissues of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with TMJ disorders.
Twenty-one patients (33 joints) were included in the study. The results of radiographic assessments at the first visit and at least 46 months after the first visit (mean 96.0 months) were compared.
All subjects had a good clinical course after a favorable response to treatment. Radiographic assessment showed that there was a statistically significant change in disk morphology during the intervening years, with the disks becoming more deformed (P < .05, McNemar test). On the other hand, there was no significant change in the condylar morphology or size.
Most of the acute and destructive radiographically visible degenerative changes were arrested or slowed in the patients whose symptoms and signs were successfully resolved or reduced, while disk deformation significantly progressed.