| Popis: |
There is a presence of interarticular space between the bony components of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), i.e., between articular eminence and glenoid fossa of the temporal bone at the base of the skull and the condylar process of the mandible. The intervening articular disc, together with its attachments, divide the joint into two separate compartments, i.e., upper (superior) and lower (inferior) compartments located above and below the disc, respectively, which are referred as joint spaces. The clinical significance of joint space is of great value; the presence of normal joint space is needed for free movement of condyle along with articular disc. The widening or obliteration of joint space may indicate the involvement of TMJ or its pathology. The joint space configuration is greatly influenced by the glenoid fossa, condyle, and condylar positions within the fossa in TMJ on the right and left sides. The present review work is undertaken primarily including 37 studies from PubMed and Medline databases to reveal the information relating to the joint space, its measurement in normal subjects and TMJ disorder (TMD) patients, its correlation to other factors, and its role in TMDs. The review work would be of help to gain insight to predict the TMDs with respect to joint space morphometrics. |
