TMJ Osteoarthritis (OA) is defined as a chronic and degenerative disease with an important yet secondary inflammatory component and is the result of an unbalance anabolic and catabolic metabolism inside the TMJ. Although the exact molecular mechanisms are still in dark, literature agrees that this imbalance is caused by the action of functional overload as main factor and the combination of risk factors that exceed the adaptive capacity of the joint.

OA is characterized mainly by three factors: destruction of the articular surface, bone remodeling and a secondary sinovitis.

Clinical findings are pain, restricted mandibular dynamics, and crepitus. It has been found several risk factors such as age, genetics, gender, systemic diseases, parafunctional habits, loss of posterior molar support, inflammatory joint disease and trauma. Within these, craniofacial development plays a fundamental role in the etiology to determine patterns predisposing skeletal joint overload.

Objective: Determine the relationship between skeletal biotype and OA.

Patients and methods: A Universe of twenty patients with clinical OA diagnosis supported by an MRI were studied with a lateral teleradiography and a Delaire skeletal analysis to determine the skeletal biotype.

Inclusion criteria: Adults, OA diagnosis, no systemic diseases, active symptoms, restricted dynamics, and no history of surgical procedures on both TMJs.

The patients also were registered under gender, age and distribute in Class I, II or III.

Results:

• Class I: 4,

• Class II: 13,

• Class III: 3 these results were statistically analyzed (Systat v12.0).

Conclusions: There’s a significant relationship between skeletal biotype and OA.

Conflict of interest: Main author is in the ICOMS scientific commission.