Metric analysis of the upper space of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) for evaluation of the pig as a model for arthroscopic TMJ surgery

Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is more technically demanding than procedures in larger joints. The acquisition of adequate arthroscopic skills for TMJ surgery requires extensive specialized training that can hardly be obtained from patients. In order to introduce a proper animal model for TMJ arthroscopy, this study focuses on the morphology of the upper joint cavity of pigs at different ages. Plastic casts of the upper joint cavity were obtained from a mixed-sex sample of eight unfixed juvenile pig heads. The morphometric evaluation of these plastic casts revealed that the TMJ of pigs with a body weight of about 30 kg resemble the situation of the human TMJ best, and thus may serve as a model for arthroscopic exercises and examinations of the TMJ.