Developmental defects of the tympanic plate: case reports and review of the literature

Abstract

A complete otoscopic examination should be performed in all patients seeking treatment of temporomandibular disorders. The presence of a bulge in the external auditory meatus that disappears with mouth opening may suggest the persistence of the foramen of Huschke. The clinician should rule out the presence or history of infection, trauma, or neoplasm before ascribing the etiology of a defect to a developmental aberration.