Temporomandibular joint involvement in psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic, papulosquamous, and an inflammatory skin disease. It has been found that between 5% and 24% of patients develop psoriatic arthritis (PA) at the same time after or even prior to skin findings. The involvement of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a rare condition. In this report, a-46-year-old male patient was referred to our clinic with the complaint of pain in the bilateral TMJs, and a limited jaw movement. Medical anamnesis revealed he had psoriasis for the last 21 years, and developed a seronegative polyarthritis with destructive changes for 8 years. On extra-oral examination, crepitation at TMJs and limitation of jaw movements was detected. The radiographic examination with cone-beam CT revealed the bilaterally decreased joint spaces, erosion, and the loss of cortical edge of the joint on the condylar heads. The definitive diagnosis of PA was made with the help of patient's history and radiological findings. The uses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and occlusal splint have been suggested for conservative treatment.