Temporomandibular joint: an anatomical approach method

Objective: To describe a technique for a conservative approach to anatomical study of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ); this method is designed to demonstrate the structure of the TMJ while teaching Anatomy to Dentistry and Medical students. Methodology:We took the head of a specimen, emptied the cranial cavity and determined a point of reference, situated approximately 2cm behind the external acoustic meatus.Then we traced a line from this point up to the midpoint of the margin that separates the anterior cranial fossa from the middle cranial fossa, bilaterally.Based on these reference lines, we cut the head.Results: Two halves of the TMJ was obtained permitting us to visualize the soft and osseous articular components.Conclusion: This technique provided good samples of both TMJs without damage to the neighboring anatomical structures.