Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of temporomandibular joint pain during opening and biting in patients with disc displacement.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristic of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain during opening and biting in patients with disk displacement. STUDY DESIGN: MR images of 1252 TMJs in 640 patients with disk displacement were studied retrospectively. The relationship between TMJ pain and age, sex, and MR imaging findings, such as disk displacement with or without reduction, TMJ fluid, and osteoarthrosis, was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The resultant data showed a significant relationship between TMJ pain during maximum jaw opening and disk displacement without reduction (OR = 2.36). The resultant data also showed a significant relationship between TMJ pain during maximum biting and TMJ fluid (OR = 1.85). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that TMJ pain during opening and biting is related to disk displacement without reduction and TMJ fluid on MR images.