Osteoarthritis of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) associated with osteoporosis may disturb the functional harmony of stomatognathic system and may increase the possibility for TMJ disorder. The case presented is of a 36 year-old male patient treated for secondary osteoporosis. Hyperthyroidosis has been diagnosed and treated since 1999. He underwent radioactive iodine therapy from 2002 until April of 2003. During 2002 he had physical therapy due to back pain. Due to bone, spine and joint pain densitometry was performed in 2004 (femoral osteoporosis (Tscore:-2.51) and spinal osteopenia (L1-L4) (Tscore:-2.00)). Approximately in 2004 symptoms in the left TMJ appeared. Osteoarthritis of TMJ was diagnosed by a clinical examination and manual functional analysis - crepitations and joint pain of 4.5 on the visual-analogue scale (VAS). Osteoarthritis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (Figure: 1 - articular tuberculum, 2 - condyle, arrows - subchondral sclerosation in the articular tuberculum). Occlusal splint treatment since October 2006 reduced the pain significantly and TMJ crepitation during mouth opening does not disturb the patient (VAS=0.5). The densitometry in 2006 showed a significant improvement after biosposphonates (Fosamax T) treatment: femoral osteopenia (Tscore:-2.16) and spinal osteopenia (L1-L4) (Tscore:-1.14). Three years later, the patient only has painless crepitation in the TMJ (AVS=0). The findings of the present case report suggest that the symptoms of osteoarthritis of temporomandibular joint are concurrent with osteoporosis. Like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis has multifactorial etiology, and all possible relationships between osteoporosis and pathological changes in the orofacial system are unknown.

Kliničke medicinske znanosti,Stomatologija