To analyse the temporomandibular joint clinically and radiographically in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and Sjögren's Syndrome

The aim of this study is to analyze TMJ involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), primary Sögren?s Syndrome (SS) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) clinically and radiographically and comparatively with control group.The study has been created by using 158 individuals that do not have a disease affecting the arthrosis, but have rheumatical disease. Detailed dental and medical histories of patients were taken and their stomatognathic and radiological consultations were done.According the results of our study, in those 3 disease groups; subjective and the clinical features were found to be higher than control groupThe most common objective symptoms were the pain on the palpation of masticatory muscles, the pain on the lateral TMJ palpation and the pain during the mandibular moves. It was mostly observed on RA patients.According to the results of radiographic assessment, condyle erosion was found higher in patients, having rheumatical disease, than control group. Erosion symptom at the half of the condyle was only observed on 2 of RA patients and 1 of control group.Attenuated condyl move was observed in lateral panoramic radiographs, research group and a specific part of control group and no condyl move was observed on 1 patient of RA and SS patientsOsteophyte formation was observed on only 1 patient of RA and SS patients. It was not observed on AS and control group.In terms of the relation between clinical and radiographic features; crepitation in TMJ was determined in the majority of patients having erosion symptom at the half of the condyle. It was observed that; being able to open the mouth was restricted as condyl erosion increased.Consequently, TMJ has been affected depending on rheumatical diseases.