TEMPEROMANDIBULAR

JOINT
INTRODUCTION
 Joint or articulation between
movable mandible & fixed
temporal bone of cranium.
 Ginglimodiarthroidal synovial joint
ANATOMY OF TMJ
 2 bony structures
 Interposed fibrous disc
 Enclosed in a fibrous capsule
 BONES FORMING
ARTICULAR SURFACE
 CONDYLE
 Long axis inclines backward &

medially
 Articulating surface – convex

located on superior & ant

surface of head of condyle
Triangular depression on ant border –
insertion of lateral pterygoid muscle
 Articular surface of temporal bone
 Posterior part – concave – articular
fossa
 Anterior part – convex – articular
tubercle / eminence
 Articular fossa – ovoid depression
anterior to auditory canal
 Articular eminence – bony
prominence located anterior to
HISTOLOGY OF
ARTICULATING SURFACES
 Head of condyle – dense compact
bone with cancellous bone in the
center
 Articular fossa lined by thin layer
of compact bone
 Articular eminence – core of
cancellous bone covered by a layer
of compact bone
ARTICULAR FIBROUS
COVERING
 4 distinct layers
1] Superficial zone – articular zone
 Composed of fibrous tissue

 Fibroblasts scattered in avascular

layer of type I collagen fibers

arranged in bundles oriented
parallel to articular surface
 c/t contains few cartilage cells
2] Proliferative zone – highly cellular
 Composed of undifferentated mesenchymal

cells
 Remodeling & repair of articular surfaces

3] Fibrocartilagenous zone – bundles of

collagen fibers arranged in crossing pattern
& some in radiating pattern
 Resistance against compressive or lateral

forces
4] Calcifed zone – made of chondrocytes &
ARTICULAR CAPSULE
 Dense collagenous sheet of tissue
 Circumferentially attached to rim of
glenoid fossa & articular eminence
above & neck of condyle below
 Ant portion of capsule attached above –
ascending slope of articular eminence
- Below to ant margin of condyle
 Posterior portion attached above -
squamotympanic fissure
- Below to post margin of ramus of
mand
 Anterolateral aspect of capsule
thickened to form
temporomandibular ligament
 Post fibers of capsule blend with
articular disc
HISTOLOGY OF ARTICULAR
CAPSULE
 Outer fibrous layer
 Inner synovial membrane
Synovial membrane
 Inner surface – thrown into folds
villi like process
 2 layers inner cellular intimal layer
vascular subintimal layer
Subintimal layer
 Loose c/t cont blood vessels,
scattered fibroblasts,
macrophages, mast cells
 Elastic fibers
 Collagen fibers
Intimal layer
 1-4 layer of synovial cells
 Amorphous intercellular matrix
 3 types of cells
 Type A cells [ macrophage like cells] –
irregular outline with plasma membrane
invaginations. Phagocytic properties
 Type B cells [ fibroblast like or secretory
S cells ] – involved in synthesis of
hyaluronic acid
 Third type with cellular morphology in
between the other two
Joint cavity
 Synovial fluid
 Proteins & hyaluronic acid
 Synovial cells
 Defence cells
Functions of synovial
membrane
 Lubrication
 Nutritive
 Regulatory
 Secretory
 Phagocytic
Articular disc
 Tough biconcave pad of dense
fibrous c/t located between
condyle & articular surface of
temporal bone.
 Thin in the center & thicker
towards periphery
 4 distinct regions – anterior band
intermediate
zone
posterior band
 Upper contour concave ant &
convex posteriorly
 Lower surface of disc – Concave
 Ant disc divided into 2 lamellae –
upper fuses with capsule &
periosteum of articular eminence
- lower attaches to neck of condyle
 Post disc divided into 2 lamellae
 Upper consisting fibrous & elastic tissue
and fusing with capsule & inserting into
squamotympanic fissure
 Lower non elastic composed of collagen
& blends with periosteum of neck of
condyle.
 Between lamellae loose highly vasculsar
c/t – bilaminar zone
 Joint space – upper – temprodiscal
- lower – condylodiscal
 Lower joint space – hinge
movement
 Upper joint space – translatory
movement
Histology of articular disc
 Dense fibrous tissue with tightly
packed collagen fibers
 Fibroblasts
 Elastic fibers
 Periphery vascular
 Central part devoid of vessels &
nerves
Functions of articular disc
 Divides joint cavity into 2 compartmrnts
permitting different types of mandibular
movements
 Reduces physical wear
 Shock absorption
 Stabilises the condyle
 Regulates movts of condyles
 Assists in lubricating mechanism
 Prevents undue forward movt of
condyle
 Distributes weight preventing wear
Ligaments of TMJ
 Capsular ligament
 Temporomandibular ligament
 Accessory ligaments
Sphenomandibular ligament
Stylomandibular ligament
MOVEMENTS OF

TMJ