Radiographic measurements of severe temporomandibular joint destruction at cervical radiography. Designed for evaluation in rheumatoid arthritis

Radiological examinations of the temporomandibular joints are not so often performed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, greater abnormalities of the mandibular head and neck may be evaluated at cervical radiography. With a new method, where the perpendicular distance from the palato-occipital line to the mandibular angle was measured, normal values of the distance or of ramal height were found to be above 27.5 mm in women and 33 mm in men. A significantly diminished ramal height was found in a patient material with RA compared with a normal material. Minor changes of the temporomandibular joints cannot be detected with this method, but severe arthritic destruction of the mandibular head or neck will give subnormal values.