Idiopathic Condylar Resorption: How to Diagnose and When to Treat it?

Idiopathic Condylar Resorption (ICR) has been frequently reported in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment especially in young adolescent females, so as dentists we could be the first ones to diagnose this condition. This condition represents an aggressive and fast-moving form of degenerative disease of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) and the pathognomonic features of this condition include a deficit of condylar volume, furthermore reducing the ramus height and length of mandible and causing a clockwise rotation of the mandible leading to absence of anterior bite. The accurate cause of this condition is not known, however, there are multiple aetiological factors that could be contributing to this disease. ICR is a poorly understood disease and it could be a very difficult condition to treat because of its various expression and the large number of treatment options that are available. Over the past years a number of cases with ICR have been reported in the orthodontic literature. The aim of this review article is to present a compiled data to better understand the pathophysiology and aetiological factors contributing to ICR and provide an insight about the various clinical features and radiographic findings of this condition which will help us diagnose this condition better in our day-to-day practice. Various treatment modalities like splint therapy, orthognathic surgery, joint replacement have also been mentioned and discussed. A case of ICR that reported to our department with a chief complaint of progressive opening of the bite has also been included in this review article.