Revisiting the Anatomical Features of the Temporomandibular Joint and their Association with Temporomandibular Disorder: A Narrative Review

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a complex structure relying on bones, muscles, ligaments, and an articular disc for smooth functioning. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) development can be attributed to changes in TMJ anatomy. Several factors, including age, gender, chewing side preference, dentition status, cephalometric relationship, and orthodontic treatment or orthognathic surgery, contributed to the structural and positional changes of the TMJ components. This review article summarizes the association between TMDs and the changes in morphology and position of the mandibular condyle, articular eminence, and glenoid fossa from various factors. Extensive electronic search was performed in PubMed and Scopus databases with appropriate search filters. After the deduplication process and screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, sixty studies underwent a thorough full-text reading process and were included in this review. Patients with TMDs symptoms tend to have flattened and angled condylar shapes and frequently exhibit a posteriorly positioned condylar head. The steeper inclination of the articular eminence appears to be a notable characteristic of certain TMDs. However, given the multifactorial nature of TMDs, determining a single factor as a primary cause can be challenging. Therefore, recognizing all potential risk factors beyond anatomy-related factors is crucial for accurate diagnosis and successful management of TMDs.