Systematization,description, and territory of arteries that promote vascularization of the midbrain and rhombencephalon in the ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Brain specimens from 30 ostriches were injected with red-dyed latex via the internal carotid arteries (Aa.). The ventral tectal mesencephalic artery (a.), invariably a medium-sized single vessel, was, on the right side, a collateral branch of the caudal branch of the carotid artery (53.4%), a direct branch of the carotid artery (43.3%) and a direct branch of the basilar artery (3.3%) and on the left side, a collateral branch of the caudal branch of the carotid artery (66.7%), a direct branch of the carotid artery (30%), and a direct branch of the basilar artery (3.3%). It vascularized only the ventral half of the optic lobe, with no involvement in cerebellar vascularization on the right (93.3%) and left (80%) sides, extending to the ventrorostral-most cerebellar lobules, which were vascularized on the right (6.7%) and left (20%) sides. The caudal ventral cerebellar arteries were a single vessel on the right (96.7%) and left (93.3%) sides. Its first branch was a common trunk: dorsal spinal—caudal cerebellar on the right (60%) and left (56.6%) sides. Its second branch was the caudal cerebellar artery on the right (76.7%) and left (86.7%) sides. Its third branch was the second component of the caudal cerebellar artery on the right (6.7%) and left (3.3%) sides. The midbrain was vascularized by dorsal and ventral tectal mesencephalic arteries. The cerebellum was vascularized by branches of the caudal ventral cerebellar artery and by the dorsal cerebellar artery.     

In vivo prediction of temporomandibular joint disc thickness and position changes for different jaw positions

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are common dysfunctions of the masticatory region and are often linked to dislocation or changes of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for TMJ imaging but standard clinical sequences do not deliver a sufficient resolution and contrast for the creation of detailed meshes of the TMJ disc. Additionally, bony structures cannot be captured appropriately using standard MRI sequences due to their low signal intensity. The objective of this study was to enable researchers to create high resolution representations of all structures of the TMJ and consequently investigate morphological as well as positional changes of the masticatory system. To create meshes of the bony structures, a single computed tomography (CT) scan was acquired. In addition, a high‐resolution MRI sequence was produced, which is used to collect the thickness and position change of the disc for various static postures using bite blocks. Changes in thickness of the TMJ disc as well as disc translation were measured. The newly developed workflow successfully allows researchers to create high resolution models of all structures of the TMJ for various static positions, enabling the investigation of TMJ disc translation and deformation. Discs were thinnest in the lateral part and moved mainly anteriorly and slightly medially. The procedure offers the most comprehensive picture of disc positioning and thickness changes reported to date. The presented data can be used for the development of a biomechanical computer model of TMJ anatomy and to investigate dynamic and static loads on the components of the system, which could be useful for the prediction of TMD onset.     

Cytopathologic diagnosis on joint lavage fluid for patients with temporomandibular joint disorders

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMD) are usually diagnosed based on the patient's clinical findings and the results of image investigations; however, understanding of the inflammatory process in TMJ is difficult. In addition, many of the TMJ disease types share common principal symptoms. Therefore, TMJ diseases in the early stage can be misdiagnosed with TMD. It is hypothesized that cytopathologic examination of the joint lavage fluids is useful in interpreting the TMD‐associated inflammatory process from a cellular aspect. The aim of this study was to assess the TMJ lavage fluid cytopathologically in TMD patients. Thirty‐nine patients, clinically diagnosed as TMD, were included in the present study. Clinical symptoms of the patients were recorded. Forty‐four samples of TMJ lavage fluid were collected and paraffin‐embedded cell sections were made by cell block tissue array method. Cytologic conditions in upper articular cavity of TMJ were cytopathologically diagnosed and were compared with the clinical symptoms of each patient. Cell components were detected in 22 of the 44 analyzed joint lavage fluids. There was a correlation between cytopathologic findings and clinical symptoms. Variety of cytopathology and inflammatory conditions in patients with similar clinical symptoms were also found. The results suggested that cytopathologic examination of the joint lavage fluids from TMD patients is helpful for gaining an understanding of the inner local conditions of TMJ at the cellular level. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:30–36. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Histological study of the extratympanic portion of the discomallear ligament in adult humans: a functional hypothesis

This study was carried out on histological aspects of the extratympanic portion of the discomallear ligament (DL) in adult humans. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was dissected bilaterally in 20 cadavers; in 15 cases the articular disc (AD) and the retroarticular tissue were extirpated. The extratympanic portion of the DL had the shape of a base-down triangle, in relation to the AD, and an upper vertex, in relation to the petrotympanic fissure. In five cases, the base, measured bilaterally, had an average length of 6.4 mm, while the distance from the base to the upper vertex averaged 9.3 mm in length. The extratypanic portion of the DL is an intrinsic ligament of the TMJ, composed of collagen fibres and abundant elastic fibres. We propose that this ligament could act as a tensor of the synovial membrane in movements of the TMJ.     

Chronic inflammation and estradiol interact through MAPK activation to affect TMJ nociceptive processing by trigeminal caudalis neurons

The mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway plays a key role in mediating estrogen actions in the brain and neuronal sensitization during inflammation. Estrogen status is a risk factor in chronic temporomandibular muscle/joint (TMJ) disorders; however, the basis for this relationship is not known. The present study tested the hypothesis that estrogen status acts through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway to alter TMJ nociceptive processing. Single TMJ-responsive neurons were recorded in laminae I–II at the spinomedullary (Vc/C_1-2) junction in naïve ovariectomized (OvX) female rats treated for 2 days with high-dose (20 μg/day; HE2) or low-dose estradiol (2 μg/day; LE2) and after chronic inflammation of the TMJ region by complete Freund's adjuvant for 12–14 days. Intra-TMJ injection of ATP (1 mM) was used to activate Vc/C_1-2 neurons. The MAPK/ERK inhibitor (PD98059, 0.01–1 mM) was applied topically to the dorsal Vc/C_1-2 surface at the site of recording 10 min prior to each ATP stimulus. In naïve HE2 rats, low-dose PD98059 caused a maximal inhibition of ATP-evoked activity, whereas even high doses had only minor effects on units in LE2 rats. By contrast, after chronic TMJ inflammation, PD98059 produced a marked and similar dose-related inhibition of ATP-evoked activity in HE2 and LE2 rats. These results suggested that E2 status and chronic inflammation acted, at least in part, through a common MAPK/ERK-dependent signaling pathway to enhance TMJ nociceptive processing by laminae I–II neurons at the spinomedullary junction region.     

Genes that regulate morphogenesis and growth of the temporomandibular joint: A review

Compared with the joints of the limbs, our understanding of the genes that regulate development and growth in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is fairly limited. Because the morphogenesis of the secondary cartilage and other intra‐articular structures in the TMJ occurs later and in a different manner than in the limbs, the genetic control of TMJ development might reasonably be assumed to differ from that in the limbs. However, studies of the specific genes regulating TMJ morphogenesis and growth have only begun to appear in the literature within the last decade. This review attempts to survey and interpret the existing knowledge on this topic and to suggest fruitful avenues of investigation for the future. Studies to date using knockout and over‐expression of candidate genes suggest that a developmental hierarchy of joint structures exists, with condyle development primary. A hierarchy of gene expression also exists: Runx2 and Sox9 expression is critical for condylar cartilage formation. Several of the other genes discussed in this report may regulate TMJ morphogenesis by affecting Sox9 and Runx2 expression and control the ihh‐PTHrP axis by means of these genes. Developmental Dynamics 243:864–874, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

颞下颌关节可复性盘前移患者的MR表现

目的:研究颞下颌关节可复性盘前移（ADDWR）患者的磁共振（MR）成像表现。方法:纳入颞下颌关节ADDWR患者55例作为观察组,另纳入30例牙齿排列整齐的健康志愿者作为对照组。所有研究对象均接受MR成像检查,记录颞下颌关节ADDWR患者关节盘前移程度,比较不同严重程度患者关节盘形态和关节渗出情况。结果:55例颞下颌关节ADDWR患者中,轻症35例,重症20例。对照组、轻症组及重症组关节盘形态分型比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。3组对象颞下颌关节渗出情况比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。不同程度关节渗出患者视觉模拟评分法（VAS）评分差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。3组对象关节盘长度差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。轻度组关节盘前移度较重症组显著减轻,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论:MR有助于颞下颌关节ADDWR患者病情判断,可为临床治疗提供依据。     

幕下小脑桥静脉的显微解剖与影像学观察及其临床意义

目的通过幕下小脑桥静脉的显微解剖、影像学观察及其对照研究,为幕下小脑上手术入路中桥静脉的保护提供形态学基础。方法分别对20例(40侧)上矢状窦和颈内静脉灌注蓝色乳胶的成人头颅湿标本、22例(40侧)DSA静脉相、20例(40侧)CTV和20例(40侧)MRV图像进行观测。结果以显微解剖结果作为对照标准,DSA、CTV和MRV分别观察到89%、40%和38%的桥静脉,测得的直径值分别大11%、17%和33%。桥静脉注入硬脑膜处的形态分为直接或经脑膜静脉(小脑幕窦)间接注入两种,脑膜静脉在影像学上表现为信号的不连续、缺失或者局部强度增加。桥静脉注入硬脑膜处主要分布在窦汇附近、小脑幕和岩上窦前部。结论术前影像学检查有助于幕下小脑上手术入路的设计和术中桥静脉的保护。     

Contribution of synovial lining cells to synovial vascularization of the rat temporomandibular joint

The lining layer of the synovial membrane in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) contains two types of lining cells: macrophage‐like type A and fibroblast‐like type B cells. The type B cells are particularly heterogeneous in their morphology and immunoreactivity, so that details of their functions remain unclear. Some of the type B cells exhibit certain resemblances in their ultrastructure to those of an activated capillary pericyte at the initial stage of the angiogenesis. The articular surface, composed of cartilage and the disc in the TMJ, has few vasculatures, whereas the synovial lining layer is richly equipped with blood capillaries to produce the constituent of synovial fluid. The present study investigated at both the light and electron microscopic levels the immunocytochemical characteristics of the synovial lining cells in the adult rat TMJ, focusing on their contribution to the synovial vascularization. It also employed an intravascular perfusion with Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin to identify functional vessels in vivo. Results showed that several type B cells expressed desmin, a muscle‐specific intermediate filament which is known as the earliest protein to appear during myogenesis as well as being a marker for the immature capillary pericyte. These desmin‐positive type B cells showed immunoreactions for vimentin and pericyte markers (neuron‐glial 2; NG2 and PDGFRβ) but not for the other markers of myogenic cells (MyoD and myogenin) or a contractile apparatus (αSMA and caldesmon). Immunoreactivity for RECA‐1, an endothelial marker, was observed in the macrophage‐like type A cells. The arterioles and venules inside the synovial folds extended numerous capillaries with RECA‐1‐positive endothelial cells and desmin‐positive pericytes to distribute densely in the lining layer. The distal portion of these capillaries showing RECA‐1‐immunoreactivity lacked lectin‐staining, indicating a loss of blood‐circulation due to sprouting or termination in the lining layer. The desmin‐positive type B and RECA‐1‐positive type A cells attached to this portion of the capillaries. Some capillaries in the lining layer also expressed ninein, a marker for sprouting endothelial cells, called tip cells. Since an activated pericyte, macrophage and tip cell are known to act together at the forefront of the vessel sprout during angiogenesis, the desmin‐positive type B cell and RECA‐1‐positive type A cell might serve as these angiogenic cells in the synovial lining layer. Tomato lectin perfusion following decalcification would be a highly useful tool for research on the vasculature of the mineralized tissue. Use of this technique combined with immunohistochemistry should permit future extensive investigations on the presence of the physiological angiogenesis and on the function of the lining cells in the synovial membrane.     

Special variations of the lateral ligament the human TMJ

Opinions about the presence of a bandlike structure or a ligament in the lateral part of the temporomandibular joint capsule are divergent. In an attempt to find a definition for this structure, the capsules of 20 post mortem human specimens were examined both anatomically and histologically. The density of collagen tissue was investigated in detail with the aim to establish characteristics by which a structure can be classified objectively as a ligament. While there is still some uncertainty about its masticatory function, the lateral (temporomandibular) ligament influences and limits the border movements of the mandible. The macroscopic investigations showed that 70% (14) of the temporomandibular joints exhibited an obvious ligament. In the rest of the cases (6) only a thin, indistinct structure could be observed. In those with macroscopically obvious ligaments, 35.7% (5) were characterized by sharp borders forming a cord-like structure. The histological observations did not confirm in all cases the findings of the macroscopic investigations. Only 57% of the macroscopically identified ligaments could be classified as such histologically. They were formed of thick, closely packed, parallel collagenous bundles with a regular pattern. This study confirms the variable existence of a lateral ligament in the human TMJ. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Lateral pterygoid muscle: a three-dimensional analysis of neuromuscular partitioning

The lateral pterygoid (LP) has been implicated in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology. Few studies have examined muscle architecture of the superior (SLP) and inferior (ILP) heads of LP; moreover, the pattern of intramuscular innervation is poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of intramuscular innervation of LP using 3D modeling. The superior and lateral aspects of LP were exposed in 10 embalmed cadaveric specimens. Nerves entering the muscle, all branches of the mandibular nerve (V₃), were followed intramuscularly in short segments and sequentially digitized. Muscle volume, surrounding bone, and the TMJ disc were also digitized. The data were reconstructed into 3D models (Maya®) that were used to determine patterns of intramuscular innervation. It was found that the SLP had independent sources of innervation to each of the quadrants in its superior part (masseteric/posterior deep temporal/middle deep temporal/buccal) and one primary source of innervation (buccal) to the quadrants of the inferior part. This difference in innervation is significant as the superior part attaches to the TMJ disc‐capsule complex, whereas the inferior part attaches to the mandibular condylar neck. Differing sites of attachment and sources of innervation for each part suggests that movement of the TMJ disc‐capsule complex, independent of the condyle, may be possible. The buccal nerve supplied both the medial and lateral quadrants of the ILP, with the medial quadrants receiving additional innervation from V₃ muscular branches. Results of this study could be used to direct EMG/ultrasound studies of LP function as related to TMJ disorders. Clin. Anat. 25:576–583, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Comparison of reference points in different methods of temporomandibular joint imaging

PurposeConventional radiography is a well-established method for imaging of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) structures. However, the dental computer tomography becomes more important for the visualization of teeth in the jaw-bone. The applicability of dental computer tomography for the visualization of the TMJ it not yet been proven. The aim of the study was to identify TMJ structures using reference points with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the computed tomography (CT).MethodsIn order to compare the visualization and measurement of the TMJ a total of eight human cadaver heads was examined with CT and MRI and analysed using reference points.ResultsIn both imaging techniques the selected reference points and distances are well definable and allow objective evaluation of anatomical structures. The CT images display a clearly better contrast to noise ratio than the MR images. The distance measurement of different width and length showed significant correlation of both images techniques.ConclusionsIn TMJ diagnostics, maximum information could be obtained using both imaging techniques together due to synergistic effects.     

Modeling the biomechanics of articular eminence function in anthropoid primates

One of the most prominent features of the cranial component of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the articular eminence (AE). This bar of bone is the primary surface upon which the condyle translates and rotates during movements of the mandible, and is therefore the primary point at which forces are transmitted from the mandible to the cranium during loading of the masticatory apparatus. The shape of the AE is highly variable across primates, and the raised eminence of humans has often been considered a defining feature of the human TMJ, yet few data exist to address whether this variation is functionally significant. This study used a broad interspecific sample of anthropoid primates to elaborate upon and test the predictions of a previously proposed model of AE function. This model suggests that AE inclination acts to resist non-normal forces at the TMJ, thereby maximizing bite forces (BFs). AE inclination was predicted to covary with two specific features of the masticatory apparatus: height of the TMJ above the occlusal plane; and inclination of the masticatory muscles. A correlate of this model is that taxa utilizing more resistant food objects should also exhibit relatively more inclined AEs. Results of the correlation analyses found that AE inclination is strongly correlated with height of the TMJ above the occlusal plane, but less so with inclination of the masticatory muscles. Furthermore, pairwise comparisons of closely related taxa with documented dietary differences found that the AE is consistently more inclined in taxa that utilize more resistant food items. These data preliminarily suggest that variation in AE morphology across anthropoid primates is functionally related to maximizing BFs, and add to the growing dataset of masticatory morphologies linked to feeding behavior.     

NMDA receptor blockade reduces temporomandibular joint-evoked activity of trigeminal subnucleus caudalis neurons in an estrogen-dependent manner

Estrogen status is a risk factor in painful temporomandibular disorders (TMJD). Previously we reported that estradiol (E2) enhanced nociceptive processing of TMJ input by neurons in superficial laminae at the spinomedullary (Vc/C_1-2) region; however, the mechanisms for this enhancement are not known. The present study determined if ionotropic glutamate receptors contribute to TMJ nociceptive processing in an E2-dependent manner. Ovariectomized (OvX) female rats were treated with high E2 (HE2) or low dose E2 (LE2) for 2 days and neural activity was recorded in laminae I–II at the Vc/C_1-2 region. TMJ-responsive units were activated by ATP injections into the joint space. ATP-evoked unit responses in HE2 rats were reduced significantly by topical application of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, d(−)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5) in a dose-related manner, while units from LE2 were not affected. Application of the non-NMDA receptor antagonist, 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX), inhibited the ATP-evoked responses in both groups. Spontaneous activity of TMJ units was not influenced by AP5, whereas it was reduced by DNQX similarly in both groups. The high threshold convergent cutaneous receptive field area of TMJ units was not changed by AP5, whereas DNQX caused a significant reduction in both groups. These results suggest that NMDA-dependent mechanisms contribute to the enhanced ATP-evoked responses of TMJ units in superficial laminae at the Vc/C_1-2 region under high E2 conditions, while non-NMDA-dependent mechanisms modify the encoding properties of TMJ units independent of E2 status.     

Contribution of peripheral 5-HT2A or 5-HT3 receptors to Fos expression in the trigeminal spinal nucleus produced by acute injury to the masseter muscle during persistent temporomandibular joint inflammation in rats

We investigated the contribution of peripheral 5-HT2A or 5-HT3 receptors to Fos expression in the trigeminal spinal nucleus (VSP) following acute masseter muscle injury in male rats with or without temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation persisting for 7 days. TMJ inflammation was evoked by an injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Two hours after formalin injection into the masseter muscle produced Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) in several regions of the VSP and upper cervical spinal cord (C2), such as ventrolateral (vl) area of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc)/subnucleus interpolaris (Vi) transition (vl-Vi/Vc), paratrigeminal nucleus (dPa5), middle portion of the Vc (mid-Vc) and Vc/C2 transition (Vc/C2) regions in both groups. Significant increases in the number of Fos-LI were observed in these areas in CFA group compared with non-CFA group. TMJ inflammation alone did not induce a significant level of Fos-LI in the VSP. In order to assess the effect of antagonizing 5-HT2A or 5-HT3 receptors on formalin-induced Fos-LI, rats were pre-treated with local (masseter muscle) administration of ketanserin or tropisetron (0.01, 0.1 mg/rat) 20 min prior to formalin injection. In CFA group, these antagonists given locally reduced the Fos-LI response in the laminae I–II at the mid-Vc and Vc/C2 regions. These antagonists reduced the Fos-LI response in the dPa5, but not in the vl-Vi/Vc region. The Fos-LI response was not affected by i.v. administration of ketanserin (0.01, 0.1 mg/rat) or tropisetron (0.01 mg/rat). In non-CFA group, these antagonists given locally did not reduce the Fos-LI response. These results suggest that peripheral 5-HT2A and 5-HT3 receptors contribute to nociceptive processing in the masseter muscle in TMJ inflammatory conditions.     

Surgical incision can alter capsaicin-induced central sensitization in rat brainstem nociceptive neurons

Surgical trauma can affect spinal neuronal excitability, but there have been no studies of the effects of surgical cutaneous injury on central nociceptive processing of deep afferent inputs evoked by noxious stimuli such as capsaicin. Thus our aim was to test the effect of surgical cutaneous incision in influencing central sensitization induced by capsaicin injection into the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The activity of single nociceptive neurons activated by noxious mechanical stimulation of the TMJ was recorded in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis/upper cervical cord of halothane-anesthetized rats. The cutaneous mechanoreceptive field (RF), cutaneous mechanical activation threshold (MAT) and TMJ MAT of neurons before and after both surgical cutaneous incision alone and capsaicin injection were compared with results of incision and lidocaine pretreatment of the facial skin overlying the TMJ and capsaicin injection into the TMJ. Incision itself induced a barrage of neuronal spikes and excitability increases reflecting central sensitization (cutaneous RF expansion, cutaneous MAT reduction) in most neurons tested whereas lidocaine pretreatment significantly attenuated the barrage and central sensitization. Capsaicin injection into the TMJ induced cutaneous RF expansion, cutaneous MAT reduction and TMJ MAT reduction following lidocaine pretreatment of the cutaneous incision site whereas capsaicin injection following incision alone not only failed to induce further central sensitization but also decreased the existing incision-induced central sensitization (no cutaneous RF expansion, increased cutaneous MAT and TMJ MAT) in most neurons tested. These findings suggest that central sensitization induced by capsaicin alone or by cutaneous incision alone can readily occur in TMJ-responsive nociceptive neurons and that following incision-induced excitability increases, capsaicin may result in a temporary suppression of nociceptive neuronal changes reflecting central sensitization.     

Immunocytochemical Localization of Caveolin‐3 in the Synoviocytes of the Rat Temporomandibular Joint During Development

Caveolins—caveolin‐1, ‐2, ‐3 (Cav1, 2, 3)—are major components of caveolae, which have diverse functions. Our recent study on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) revealed expressions of Cav1 and muscle‐specific Cav3 in some synovial fibroblast‐like type B cells with well‐developed caveolae. However, the involvement of Cav3 expression in the differentiation and maturation of type B cells remains unclear. The present study therefore examined the chronological alterations in the localization of Cav3 in the synovial lining cells of the rat TMJ during postnatal development by immunocytochemical techniques. Observations showed immature type B cells possessed a few caveolae with Cav1 but lacked Cav3 protein at postnatal day 5 (P5). At P14, Cav3‐immunopositive type B cells first appeared in the synovial lining layer. They increased in number and immunointensity from P14 to P21 as occlusion became active. In immunoelectron microscopy and double immunolabeling with heat shock protein 25 (Hsp25) and Cav3, coexpressed type B cells developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and numerous caveolae, while the Cav3‐immunonegative type B cell with Hsp25 immunoreaction possessed few of these. Results suggest that Cav3 expression, which is closely related to added functional stimuli, reflects the differentiation of the type B synoviocytes. Anat Rec, 291:233–241, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Tumoral calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease of the temporomandibular joint: identification on crystallography

This paper reports a case of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of a 59-year-old man with the chief complaint of severe pain in the left TMJ. On CT a radiopaque area was seen around the condylar process of the left TMJ with irregular destructive bony changes. A provisional diagnosis of crystalline-induced arthritis was made on histopathology of a biopsy specimen. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction showed both CPPD and hydroxyapatite (HA) in the crystalline materials. Identification of these two types of crystal in crystal deposition disease of TMJ, using crystallography, is discussed.     

颞下颌关节音分析的临床应用研究

目的：探讨以TMJ音分析作为TMJ损伤及病变临床诊断和病理研究方法的可行性。材料和方法：利用线性谱分析和非线性分形分析两种方法对健康人和TMD患者的TMJ音进行分析。结论：结果表明，两种方法均能正确识别健康人和TMD患者的TMJ音，但谱分析法仍需依靠医生的临床经验。     

下颌骨单侧前上牵引对大鼠颞下颌关节的影响

目的建一种下颌骨单侧前上牵引的大鼠动物模型,以模拟正畸不对称牵引治疗和关节外因素造成的颞下颌关节病,并研究其颞下颌关节盘和髁状突受力后表面超微结构的改变。方法利用外科手术方法在24只SD大鼠左侧下颌角与同侧颧弓前区置入镍钛拉簧,手术不破坏关节区。对照组8只,在下颌角和颧弓区分别用钢丝结扎,但不放置弹簧。弹簧施加的牵引力分别为120g和40g,使下颌骨受到前上方向的持续牵引力,在手术后3、7、14、28d安乐死法处死动物。关节盘和髁状突进行扫描电镜检查。结果本实验成功建立了下颌骨偏移导致颞下颌关节改变的大鼠动物模型。相对于对照组,实验组的加力侧和对照侧颞下颌关节均有不同程度的病理变化。关节盘病变较轻,髁状突病变以轻力组对照侧为重。结论下颌骨单侧前上牵引的大鼠动物模型可以部分模拟关节外不对称因素造成的颞下颌关节改建和病变：包括嚼肌功能紊乱、单侧的颌面肌肉挛缩、疤痕收缩以及正畸不对称牵引治疗等。