Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) >

2025 , Vol. 45 >Issue 6: 684 - 692

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2025.06.003

Oral and maxillofacial surgery

Quantitative analysis of the distance between articular disc and condyle in patients with temporomandibular disorders

  • SUN Lei ,
  • DAI Shifeng ,
  • CHEN Yuhua ,
  • XU Xinyi ,
  • JIANG Kele ,
  • LI Xiaowen ,
  • LI Chengjing ,
  • WU Tingting
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  • 1.College & Hospital of Stomatology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
    2.Department of Stomatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China
    3.Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China
First author contact:All authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study. SUN Lei was responsible for the research design, case collection, and manuscript writing. DAI Shifeng participated in the initial data collection, organization, calculation, and the initial manuscript drafting. CHEN Yuhua was involved in data analysis, result validation, and the initial manuscript drafting. XU Xinyi, JIANG Kele and LI Xiaowen contributed to data organization, validation and visualization. LI Chengjing participated in case collection. WU Tingting participated in data analysis. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript for submission.
SUN Lei, E-mail: sunlei@ahmu.edu.cn.

Received date: 2025-01-13

  Accepted date: 2025-04-03

  Online published: 2025-06-28

Supported by

Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(2308085MH264)

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Abstract

Objective ·To evaluate the relationships between disc-condyle distance and anterior disc displacement, as well as between disc-condyle distance and disc morphology, in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Methods ·From September 2023 to March 2024, 90 patients (180 TMJs) who visited the TMJ clinic of Department of Stomatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, with clinical symptoms of TMD and were diagnosed via MRI with either anterior disc displacement or no significant displacement, were included. Clinical data were collected, and MRI images were used to measure the angle of disc displacement, disc-condyle distance, disc length, and thickness. The degree of disc deformation was assessed. The relationships between clinical symptoms and anterior disc displacement, between anterior disc displacement and both disc morphology and disc-condyle distance, and between disc-condyle distance and disc morphology were analyzed. Results ·Among the 90 patients, there were 16 males and 74 females, with a mean age of (28.1±14.5) years. Among the 180 TMJs, 175 had clinical symptoms and 5 were asymptomatic. There were 40 joints with no displacement, 78 with reducible anterior disc displacement, and 62 with irreducible anterior disc displacement. In the joints with irreducible anterior disc displacement, the proportion of those with two or more symptoms was slightly higher at 62.9%, but the difference was not statistically significant compared with the joints with no displacement or reducible anterior disc displacement. MRI assessment revealed that in the joints with irreducible anterior disc displacement, the proportion of disc deformation type Ⅲ or higher was significantly higher compared with the non-displaced joints (P<0.001). The disc length was significantly shorter (P<0.001), and the intermediate zone thickness was significantly greater (P<0.001) compared with the non-displaced joints. The disc displacement angles at centric closure and maximum opening were also significantly larger (P<0.001). The disc-condyle distance was 3.10 (2.70, 3.70) mm for non-displaced joints, 3.40 (3.00, 4.00) mm for joints with reducible anterior disc displacement, and 6.60 (4.78, 7.90) mm for joints with irreducible anterior disc displacement, with significant differences (P<0.001). The disc-condyle distance was 3.10 (2.80, 3.60) mm for type Ⅰ discs, 3.70 (3.10, 4.60) mm for type Ⅱ discs, 5.10 (4.00, 7.30) mm for type Ⅲ discs, and 6.80 (4.98, 8.20) mm for type Ⅳ/Ⅴ discs, with significant differences (P<0.001). The disc-condyle distance was negatively correlated with disc length (rs=-0.469, P<0.001), positively correlated with intermediate zone thickness (rs=0.319, P<0.001), and positively correlated with disc displacement angle at centric closure (rs=0.626, P<0.001). Conclusion ·With increasing severity of disc deformation, intermediate zone thickness, and disc displacement angle at centric closure, as well as decreasing disc length, the disc-condyle distance increases. The disc-condyle distance is an important indicator for MRI assessment of pathological changes in TMD.

Key words： temporomandibular disorders (TMD); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); temporomandibular joint disc; disc-condyle distance

Cite this article

SUN Lei , DAI Shifeng , CHEN Yuhua , XU Xinyi , JIANG Kele , LI Xiaowen , LI Chengjing , WU Tingting . Quantitative analysis of the distance between articular disc and condyle in patients with temporomandibular disorders[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science), 2025 , 45(6) : 684 -692 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2025.06.003

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