A rare case of ankylosing spondylitis with severe temporomandibular joint and dental involvement

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the axial skeleton, resulting in functional deterioration. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis is characterized by bony or fibrous adhesion of the anatomic joint components, which results in limited mouth opening. Despite the high prevalence of the disease, ankylosis of the TMJ and tooth secondary to AS are rare conditions. Here, a patient with AS admitted to the outpatient clinic with a chief complaint of TMJ pain and restricted mouth opening was diagnosed with TMJ and dental sclerosis. The patient’s dental history included fracture of a wisdom tooth during an attempted extraction and difficulty in mouth opening. TMJ and dental ankylosis should be considered in patients with AS with a poor dental history and difficulty in mouth opening. For such suspected cases, a panoramic radiograph of the jaws and teeth should be obtained to detect abnormalities.