Overview

Mechanical—wear and tear of joints leads to destruction of articular cartilage.

Symptoms

Pain in weight-bearing joints after use (e.g., at the end of the day), improves with rest. No systemic symptoms.

Diagnosis

Non-inflammatory. Imaging: slight synovial hypertrophy; ulcerated cartilage; sclerotic bone; joint space narrowing; subchondral bone cyst.

Treatment

Administration of NSAIDs, a soft diet, limited jaw movement, and the use of a bite apparatus if the patient has bruxism. When non-surgical managements fail to resolve symptoms after up 6 months, surgical intervention such as, arthrotomy, and/or endoprosthetic joint replacement could be indicated. However, surgical intervention should be conservative in nature and not include the condylar shave or condylotomy.

Prognosis

Contributing and mitigating factors to a positive outcome include age, obesity, and joint deformity.

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