ABSTRACT
The temporomandibular joint is the area just in front of the ear where the lower jaw hinges on the base of the skull. There are left and a right joints and each is individually divided into two sub-joints by a cartilaginous disc (meniscus). Provided the lower jaw is intact, the right and left joints cannot move in isolation. When closing, the final resting position of the joint is determined to some extent by the way in which the teeth, if present, meet together. For these reasons, this joint and its movements are complex and this, together with the proximity of other important structures, makes the diagnosis and treatment of problems in this area complex.
