الفهرس 
Temperomandibular JointOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The temporomandibular joint is a load-bearing, synovial lined articulation consisting of the condylar process of the mandibular ramus, the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone, a thin articular disk and a loose joint capsule. The joint capsule is strengthened by a fibrous lateral ligament (Vollmerhaus et al., 1994). Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease characterized by the slow degradation of cartilage, pain and increasing disability. It is one among the leading causes of disability in the elderly and forms a major burden to health care (Odding et al., 2001). OA consists of a general progressive degeneration of articular cartilage, sclerosis of the subchondral bone (SB), formation of subchondral bone cysts and marginal osteophytes. The degenerative processes of articular cartilage can be accelerated by a single traumatic event, multiple repetitive loads, as well as local chemical and mechanical factors Buckwalte. 2002). Mercuri (2006) reported that the most common symptom of any arthritic TMJ condition is pain which arises from the soft tissues around the joint. Other common and significant signs and symptoms of TMJ arthritis are loss of joint function or late stage ankylosis, joint instability.