Diagnosis of Articular Disc Perforation: A Case Series

Perforation of articular disc of temporomandibular joint is a unusual condition and diagnosed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arthrography or arthroscopic surgery. We attempted to investigate the suspicious findings of articular disc perforation through examination commonly used in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and imaging findings of five TMD patients whose articular discs were perforated based on MRI. The most meaningful finding was the abnormal width of the joint space in cone-beam computed tomography. Thus, the clinician should perform a thorough assessment of the joint space in TMD patients and conduct additional investigation to determine what caused the abnormal joint space.