[Arthroscopic investigation of the status of temporomandibular joint in patients with temporomandibular joint pain].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with complaints of joint pain for improving clinical therapy. METHODS: Twenty three joints in twenty patients who complained of TMJ pain were examined radiographically and arthroscopically. RESULTS: There were at least one and more to six pathological changes could be found arthroscopically in the 23 temporomandibular joints, which were different in some respects with radiographic findings. CONCLUSION: TMJ related pain may be associated with pathological alterations in the TMJ, and synovitis may be one of the causes of TMJ pain.