Temporomandibular Joint Flashcards
Articular surfaces
- Head of mandible: below.
- Mandibular fossa: above.
- Articular tubercle: above.
Covered by white fibrocartilage.
Joint type
- Synovial.
- Condylar.
- Biaxial joint.
Capsule above
- Mandibular fossa margins.
- Articular tubercle.
Capsule below
Around mandible neck.
Tempomandibular ligament
Lateral thickening of the capsule attached to articular disc margins.
Articular disc
Oval plate of dense avascular fibrous tissue. It divides cavity into upper and lower compartments.
Upper surface of articular surface
Concavoconvex
Articular disc lower surface
Concave
Articular disc periphery
Attached to capsule.
Receives lateral Pterygoid insertion.
Tempomandibular ligament shape
Triangular
Only proper ligament supporting the joint
Tempomandibular ligament
Tempomandibular ligament above
Zygomatic arch tubercle
Tempomandibular ligament below
Lateral and posterior surfaces of mandible neck.
Stylomandibular ligament
Extends from Styloid process anterior surface TO Posterior border of angle and ramus mandible.
Stylomandibular ligament function
It separates parotid from submandibular gland.
Sphenomandibular ligament
Extends from Spine of Sphenoid TO Lingula of Mandible.
TMJ movements
- Depression
- Elevation
- Protraction
- Retraction
- Side to side movement
Depression (opening mouth)
- Simple hinge rotation of head downwards around horizontal axis.
- Gliding movement of head and articular disc forward and downwards to lie below articular tubercle.
Muscles producing depression
- Lateral Pterygoid (gravity)
- Digastric
- Mylohoid
- Geniohyoid
Mylohyoid and Geniohyoid help lateral Pterygoid in resistance.
Elevation (closing mouthocclusal position)
Reversed movement to depression.
Muscle producing elevation
- Temporalis
- Masseter
- Medial Pterygoid
Protraction (forward movement)
Lower teeth are drawn forwards over upper teeth.
Muscles producing protraction
- Medial Pterygoid
- Lateral Pterygoid
- Masseter superficial fibers (small effect)
Retraction (backward movement)
Mandible is drawn backwards to position of rest.
Muscles producing retraction
Temporalis posterior fibers
Side to side movement
- Chewing
- Grinding
Muscles producing side to side movement
- Medial Pterygoid
- Lateral Pterygoid
Of both sides alternatively
TMJ nerve supply
- Auriculotemporal nerve
- Masseteric nerve
From mandibular nerves
TMJ blood supply
- Superficial temporal artery
- Maxillary artery
From ECA
Applied anatomy TMJ
Condyles are below articular tubercles when the mouth is opened. Sudden violence or muscular spasm (convulsive yawn) may displace one or both condyles into infratemporal fossa (anterior dislocation)
Reduction by depressing mandible posterior with elevating chin at the same time.