Evaluation of the TMJ by means of Clinical TMD Examination and MRI Diagnostics in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Table 2

Results of the clinical TMD examination in test subjects of the control group (group N) and the group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (group RA).

Examination parameter; TMJ palpation tenderness	Group N		Group RA
Sample size ( individuals)	30		30
TMJ (lateral pole) uni- or bilateral	10%		46%
TMJ (post. attachment) uni- or bilateral	3%		20%
	left	right	left	right
TMJ (lateral pole) mild pain	6%	10%	27%	10%
TMJ (lateral pole) pain	0%	0%	13%	6%
TMJ (post. attachment) mild pain	3%	3%	10%	10%
TMJ (post. attachment) pain	0%	0%	0%	0%
Examination parameter; TMJ sounds	Group N		Group RA
Sample size ( individuals)	30		30
TMJ sounds uni- or bilateral	20%		33 %
	left	right	left	right
TMJ clicking	20%	10%	13%	13%
TMJ crepitus	0%	0%	33%	30%
Examination parameter; Muscle palpation tenderness	Group N		Group RA
Sample size ( individuals)	30		30
Muscles uni- or bilateral	37%		93%
M. masseter pars superficialis	7%		33%
M. masseter pars profundus	7%		63%
M. temporalis pars anterior	3%		20%
M. temporalis pars posterior	3%		7%
Tendon of M. temporalis	7%		67%
M. pterygoideus lateralis	0%		83%
Posterior mandibular region	3%		67%
Submandibular region	3%		10%
Suboccipital/neck muscles	23%		57%