Document Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: odontostomatological implications | [Artrite idiopatica giovanile: implicazioni odontostomatologiche]

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics, the morphostructural and dysfunctional concerns of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study was conducted on 45 subjects with JIA, aged between 7 and 19 years. All patients enrolled were subjected to clinical evalua- tion (medical history, laboratory param- eters and type of therapy) and instru- mental evaluation (magnetic resonance imaging of the TMJ).RESULTS. Of the 45 patients analyzed in the sample, 37.8% presented involvement of TMJ. These patients (17 patients, 13 fe- males and 4 males) presented with poly- articular arthritis 41.2% (7 patients), oli- goarticular arthritis 35.3% (6 patients), systemic arthritis 11.8% (2 patients), psoriatic arthritis 5.9% (1 patient), En- thesitis Arthritis Syndrome (EAS) 5.9% (1 patient). The main symptoms reported were: TMJ unilateral and bilateral click- ing, unilateral and bilateral functional limitation associated with pain, unilater- al and bilateral clicking during chewing and mandibular lateral deviation associ- ated with TMJ symptoms.CONCLUSIONS. The results obtained in this study underline the importance of a careful gnathological evaluation at the onset of JIA. Moreover, periodic follow-ups associated with an early di- agnosis are indeed capable of reducing and improving functional and aesthetic problems in these young patients.