Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Oct;45(8):20160229.
doi: 10.1259/dmfr.20160229. Epub 2016 Aug 30.

Correlation between the lateral pterygoid muscle attachment type and temporomandibular joint disc position in magnetic resonance imaging

Monika Litko  1 , Jacek Szkutnik  1 , Marcin Berger  1 , Ingrid Różyło-Kalinowska  2
Affiliations

Correlation between the lateral pterygoid muscle attachment type and temporomandibular joint disc position in magnetic resonance imaging

Monika Litko et al. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) attachment type and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc position on sagittal and coronal MR scans.

Methods: 191 patients (148 females, 43 males), aged 14-60 years, underwent MR investigations of the TMJs in the intercuspal position (IP) and open-mouth position (OMP). The disc position was evaluated on oblique sagittal and coronal images in the IP and OMP on many MRI sections showing all portions of the joint. Relationships between the LPM attachment patterns and articular disc positions were evaluated by z and χ2 tests.

Results: Three types of the LPM attachment were found. There was a statistically significant correlation between the LPM attachment type and the disc position in IP (χ2 = 24.29; p < 0.01). The type of muscle attachment did not determine the prevalence of normal, lateral and medial disc positions. There were differences between the muscle attachment types in the anterior, anteromedial and anterolateral disc positions. There was a statistically significant association between TMJ disc position in OMP and particular attachment types in the sagittal plane (χ2 = 9.702; p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Certain types of the LPM insertion are correlated with TMJ disc position.

Keywords: MRI; pterygoid muscles; temporomandibular joint disc; temporomandibular joint disorders.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Oblique sagittal slices.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Oblique coronal slices.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Type I attachment of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM); (b) anterior disc displacement on MRI of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with the Type I attachment of LPM on the selected slice in the oblique sagittal plane in intercuspal position (IP); and (c) no disc on MRI of TMJ with the Type I attachment of the LPM on the selected slice in the oblique coronal plane in IP [same joint as in (b)].
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Type II attachment of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM); (b) anterior disc displacement on MRI of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with the Type II attachment of LPM on the selected slice in the oblique sagittal plane in intercuspal position (IP); and (c) lateral disc displacement on MRI of TMJ with the Type II attachment of LPM on the selected slice in the oblique coronal plane in IP [same joint as in (b)].
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Type III attachment of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM); (b) normal disc position on MRI of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with the Type III attachment of the LPM on the selected slice in the oblique sagittal plane in intercuspal position (IP); and (c) medial disc displacement on MRI of TMJ with the Type III attachment of LPM on the selected slice in the oblique coronal plane in IP [same joint as in (b)].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Carpentier P, Yung JP, Marguelles-Bonnet R, Meunissier M. Insertions of the lateral pterygoid muscle: an anatomic study of the human temporomandibular joint. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1988; 46: 477–82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-2391(88)90417-X - DOI - PubMed
    1. van Eijden TM, Koolstra JH, Brugman P. Architecture of the human pterygoid muscles. J Dent Res 1995; 74: 1489–95. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345950740080901 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Naidoo LC. Lateral pterygoid muscle and its relationship to the meniscus of the temporomandibular joint. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 1996; 82: 4–9. - PubMed
    1. Antonopoulou M, Iatrou I, Paraschos A, Anagnostopoulou S. Variations of the attachment of the superior head of human lateral pterygoid muscle. J Craniomaxillofac Surg 2013; 41: e91–7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcms.2012.11.021 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dergin G, Kilic C, Gozneli R, Yildirim D, Garip H, Moroglu S. Evaluating the correlation between the lateral pterygoid muscle attachment type and internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint with an emphasis on MR imaging findings. J Craniomaxillofac Surg 2012; 40: 459–63. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcms.2011.08.002 - DOI - PubMed