The TMJ disc is made of dense fibrous connective tissue.

The TMJ disc is made of dense fibrous connective tissue.

• A. Dense fibrous connective tissue
• B. Elastic cartilage
• C. Hyaline cartilage
• D. Adipose tissue

Answer: (A)

The TMJ disc is best described as dense fibrous connective tissue because its structure is dominated by collagen fibers that provide strong tensile resistance and durability under the multidirectional forces of jaw movement. It acts as a tough cushion between the condyle and the temporal bone, rather than a cartilage-like tissue. While articular surfaces are covered by cartilage, the disc itself is not cartilage—cartilage would imply chondrocytes in a proteoglycan-rich matrix (hyaline or elastic cartilage). Adipose tissue is fat and not involved in the disc’s load-bearing role. Some elastin may be present peripherally to add slight resilience, but the core tissue remains fibrous rather than cartilaginous.

The TMJ disc is best described as dense fibrous connective tissue because its structure is dominated by collagen fibers that provide strong tensile resistance and durability under the multidirectional forces of jaw movement. It acts as a tough cushion between the condyle and the temporal bone, rather than a cartilage-like tissue. While articular surfaces are covered by cartilage, the disc itself is not cartilage—cartilage would imply chondrocytes in a proteoglycan-rich matrix (hyaline or elastic cartilage). Adipose tissue is fat and not involved in the disc’s load-bearing role. Some elastin may be present peripherally to add slight resilience, but the core tissue remains fibrous rather than cartilaginous.