Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) Practice Exam

Visualizing the TMJ articular disc requires an imaging method with excellent soft tissue contrast. The disc is a fibrocartilaginous structure inside the joint, and MRI provides superior contrast to distinguish the disc from the surrounding soft tissues and bone. With MRI, you can see the disc’s position relative to the condyle and fossa in both closed- and open-mouth positions, which is essential to diagnose disc displacement with or without reduction and other disc abnormalities. CT and X-ray are great for detailing bone but expose limited information about soft tissue and would miss disc pathology, while ultrasound often cannot reliably visualize the deep, posterior TMJ structures. So MRI is the best choice to see the TMJ disc.