Role of Ultrasound in Temporomandibular Disorders

Back pain is the most frequent chronic pain problem affecting the general population, followed by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. It includes a broad range of disorders that affect eating, speaking, chewing, and facial expression. They present as jaw discomfort and difficulty opening the mouth. Inflammatory arthropathies, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), may be the cause of TMJ dysfunction, as well as mechanical abnormalities. Because of the intricate structure of the TMJ, problems with the TMJ must be thoroughly investigated. It is noteworthy that in the first phases of the illness, TMJ involvement may not present with any symptoms at all. This means that patients may have a delayed diagnosis and permanent condylar injury. The gold standard technique for assessing TMJ is now characterized in the literature as magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. Nevertheless, it is an expensive technique, which is time-consuming and not available in all centres. This might be problematic, especially for the pediatric population. In claustrophobic patients, it is also used with restriction. Since ultrasonography (US) is non-invasive, less costly, and requires no specialized infrastructure, it has become a popular alternative diagnostic technique in recent years. Based on the most pertinent literature data, we will examine the use of US in TMJ diseases in this narrative review. Our investigation will cover a range of topics, from differential diagnosis and monitoring to early screening for TMJ alterations. Next, we suggest a possible method to maximize the treatment of TMJ pathology while raising concerns about the utility of ultrasonographic research.