Temporomandibular ligament

The temporomandibular joint ligament (TMJ, Latin lig. temporo-mandibulare) is a fibrous-elastic structure that connects the branches of the temporal bone and the mandibular process of the lower jaw. With the help of a tension tooth, the lower jaw moves forward and upward, which allows for thorough chewing

Temporomandibular ligament, or l. temporo-mandibule, connects the lower jaw to the skull. The lower jaw extending into the articular fossa is attached to the temporal bone by ligaments and muscles. The skull is firmly connected to the mandibular bone through the temporal sutures and the crest, forming a single whole in human anatomy, which allows us to carry out oral speech. Among other things, the temporal mandibular ligaments strengthen the mandibular bone, and as a result make its movement safe for the entire joint as a whole.

Anatomically, this ligament is divided into two parts: medial and lateral. The medial part, with the help of a process, is attached to the mandibular process by the branch of the sphenoid bone, which is part of the body of the sphenoid. The lateral with the anterior and posterior two sections is connected by the oval fossa to the temporal bone and the coronoid process. It originates from the base of the pituitary gland and medulla, smoothly passing into the visceral venous system of the skull bones. The attachment point is the outer surface of the mastoid process.

Also, the connection between the temporal and mandibular ligaments has a limiter. It is located at the outer wall of the temporal fossa and protrudes two to three millimeters along the edge of the lower jaw. Entering the cervical spinal canal, the ligament follows its curves, so the angle between the jaw and the back of the head is 135°. Such normal physiological bends allow the lower jaw to perform its work in full. If there is a violation in the ligamentous apparatus, clicks occur, accompanied by pain and crunching. This is how habitual movement errors appear—limitation of the chewing function, mastication, and a whistling noise during a conversation, caused by a violation of the usual articulation of speech sounds. In the area of ​​the temporal mandibular joint, a bed is formed for the styloid process of the temporal and carotid canals, branches of the horizontal process and the trigeminal nerve. The deep transverse opening at the junction of the base of the skull with the facial part of the body ends with the aortic opening. The ligament itself runs along the overhanging osteoma (vomer). In the anterior part there remains the edge of the spongy palate in the form of a horizontal plate. At the back, the entire ligament completely encircles the cervical vertebrae.