Clinical Follow-up of Patients With Different Disc Positions

A clinical follow-up of 45 previously symptomatic patients with arthrographically diagnosed TMJ disc positions was performed at least 1 year (average, 4 years 4 months) after treatment. The patients were divided into three groups according to disc position: (1) superior disc position, n = 5; (2) anterior disc displacement with reduction, n = 17; and (3) anterior disc displacement without reduction, n = 23. Ninety-two percent of the patient were treated conservatively. Seventy percent of the patients reported being symptom-free or improved. The frequency of joint clicking did not change considerably, but the amount of crepitating sounds increased markedly. No difference was found regarding treatment outcome between the anterior disc displacement groups with and without reduction.