[Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Thursday, June 15, 2017, IP: 117.221.101.130] Review Article Idiopathic condylar resorption: The current understanding in diagnosis and treatment Andrew Young Department of Diagnostic Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA Abstract Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR) is a condition with no known cause, which manifests as progressive malocclusion, esthetic changes, and often pain. Cone-beam computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the most valuable imaging methods for diagnosis and tracking, compared to the less complete and more distorted images provided by panoramic radiographs, and the higher radiation of 99mtechnetium-methylene diphosphonate. ICR has findings that overlap with osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, physiologic resorption/remodeling, congenital disorders affecting the mandible, requiring thorough image analysis, physical examination, and history-taking. Correct diagnosis and determination of whether the ICR is active or inactive are essential when orthodontic or prosthodontic treatment is anticipated as active ICR can undo those treatments. Several treatments for ICR have been reported with the goals of either halting the progression of ICR or correcting the deformities that it caused. These treatments have varying degrees of success and adverse effects, but the rarity of the condition prevents any evidence-based recommendations. Key Words: Idiopathic condylar resorption, progressive condylar resorption, temporomandibular disorder Address for correspondence: Dr. Andrew Young, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. E‑mail: [email protected] Received: 4th March, 2017, Accepted: 29th March, 2017 INTRODUCTION condylar resorption,[1,2] and cheerleader syndrome.[4] ICR is a diagnosis of exclusion given only when all other possible Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR) of the conditions have been ruled out. A significant portion of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a condition that is the reported ICRs followed orthognathic surgery, but ICR often esthetically and functionally altering, characterized can also occur without a history of prior surgery. by progressive resorption of the TMJ condylar heads, without a known cause. It is also referred to as idiopathic Although the exact cause is unknown, a number of condylysis,[1,2] condylar atrophy,[2] aggressive condylar possibilities have been proposed, such as hormonal resorption,[1] acquired condylar hypoplasia,[3] progressive changes,[5,6] and increased mechanical loading from This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Access this article online Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, Quick Response Code: and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as the author is credited and the Website: new creations are licensed under the identical terms. www.j-ips.org For reprints contact: [email protected] DOI: How to cite this article: Young A. Idiopathic condylar resorption: The 10.4103/jips.jips_60_17 current understanding in diagnosis and treatment. J Indian Prosthodont Soc 2017;17:128-35. 128 © 2017 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Thursday, June 15, 2017, IP: 117.221.101.130] Young: Idiopathic condylar resorption parafunctional habits, trauma, internal joint derangement, teeth are heavier ipsilateral to the ICR and heaviest on the orthodontics, orthognathic surgery, and occlusal therapy.[7] posteriormost teeth. The ipsilateral posterior teeth may Preexisting clinically detectable TMJ sounds have also been also be in crossbite. The contralateral posterior teeth may implicated but have recently been found not to be a risk become nonoccluding.[7] factor.[8] Approximately 75% of the ICR patients[7] have CLINICAL PRESENTATION symptoms, such as bilateral masticatory muscle, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) pain or As the TMJ condyle collapses in ICR, which is usually discomfort, and fatigue.[9] The pain intensity is usually [9] bilateral but can be unilateral, the mandible begins to the roughly 3–4 out of 10.[2,7] In the author’s experience, fulcrum on the portion of the occlusal arch that is closest these patients also take longer than the average TMD to the collapsing condyle when the mandible is in the closed patient during conservative TMD treatment to achieve a position. In nonpathological TMJs, this new fulcrum would significant reduction in pain. Pain reduction is sometimes never exist. The progressively heavier loading on those ultimately not adequate. posteriormost teeth causes them to wear more rapidly than other teeth in the arch. If the condyle collapses faster than RADIOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION the fulcrum teeth wear, the teeth mesial to the fulcrum will become nonoccluding. Theoretically, anterior disclusion On radiographic or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would progress more slowly when the ICR is less rapid, examination, the volume of the condyle is when the fulcrum teeth are less hard (due to the crystalline diminished.[2,6,13‑17] The resorption occurs on the superior,[14] structure of the teeth, acid exposure, etc.,), and when a anterosuperior,[10,11,14] or all other surfaces[14] of the condylar grinding habit is present. However, studies are needed to head. This often results in an alteration of condylar confirm or reject this reasoning. contour,[13,16,18] with flat[6] or peaked[14] condylar surfaces. In some cases the condylar surface, though diminished in When ICR is bilateral, a bilateral anterior open bite may volume and height, still retains its rounded shape.[14] When begin to develop. The degree of occlusal wear on the severe, only a remnant of the medial pole may remain.[12] nonoccluding teeth gives some clue to the approximate age Some cases also present with a loss of integrity of condylar of onset of a patient’s ICR. The presence of mamelons cortex,[2] in the form of erosions.[6,18] Bilateral anterior disc suggests ICR started before or shortly after the eruption of displacement with and without reduction[2] are also seen; the permanent incisors. However, also explanatory would although, these are very common in the general population be preexisting Class II occlusion, thumb‑sucking/pacifier as well. use habit, or tongue thrust. Conversely, the presence of wear on the anterior teeth, which are now out of occlusion, The loss of condylar height, and resultant formation indicates the patient at one time did not have an anterior of a new fulcrum on the posteriormost teeth, causes open bite. The presence of anterior wear, but minimal to an increased MPA[8,9,11,18] and a small SNB angle.[8,9,11,17,18] no premolar wear, could be the result of ICR starting after Hoppenreijs et al. observed that resorption of the superior the eruption of the anterior teeth, but before or slightly surface of condyle tends to present with a deep bite[14] and after the eruption of the premolars. the resorption of anterosuperior surface tends to present with anterior open bite.[14] The jaw exhibits decreased vertical ramus height[2] and posterior facial height,[8,10,11] and the mandibular plane angle Wolford and Cardenas described the presence of is correspondingly high/steep,[2,6] with a dental and skeletal hyperplastic synovium on the superior portion of the Class II,[2,6,8,12] and anterior open bite.[2,6,8,12] The overjet is condylar head during open‑joint surgeries of patients with increased[9] and the lower incisors are angulated.[2] The a pathologic complete response (PCR). This can also be backward rotation of the mandible may result in decreased seen either as increased joint space on a tomogram[2] or as oropharyngeal airway space.[2] thick amorphous soft tissue on MRI.[2] No other authors have mentioned this tissue, despite surgically accessing the When unilateral, there is a decreased posterior facial TMJ condyle. As the investigation into ICR continues and height[10] and dental and skeletal Class II,[2] on the side of the scientific understanding increases, it is possible that this the ICR. This causes a vertical height difference at the may become a subset of the ICRs, pathognomonic, or a mandibular inferior border, ramus and occlusal plane,[2] condition of its own. It has the potential to be a valuable and midline shift.[7] Occlusion and wear on the posterior diagnostic marker. The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | Volume 17 | Issue 2 | April-June 2017 129 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Thursday, June 15, 2017, IP: 117.221.101.130] Young: Idiopathic condylar resorption NATURAL HISTORY osteoarthritis (OA), inflammatory arthritis, physiologic condylar resorption, and ICR. Particularly between the ICR progresses at a rate of approximately 1.5 mm/year.[2] latter four, there is overlap and variability in their signs The point at which it stops varies case‑by‑case and there on imaging. Wolford and Cardenas[2] described synovial are currently no ways to predict this point. However, it hyperplasia of the condylar head, which they attributed has been hypothesized that it does not progress beyond to ICR, visible on the MRI and implied on radiographs. the condylar neck.[9] As stated above, if this finding indeed a feature of ICR, then it would greatly simplify the diagnosing of ICR. MRI EPIDEMIOLOGY would then also be the most conclusive imaging method for The ICR is rare. Sansare et al. in 2015 counted a total of 178 diagnosing ICR. However, no other authors have reported reported cases, all originating from only seven countries: that hyperplasia and corresponding widened joint space. The USA, The Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, Interestingly, in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), a pannus, which is granulation tissue, forms on the cartilage and France, Germany, and Japan. The nation of origin of these [25] reports is likely reflective of awareness of the condition, degrades the cartilage and adjacent bone.