| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to biochemically analyze the levels of cytokines and nitric oxides in the synovial fluid from patients with patients with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint, and to investigate the relationship between the mechanical stress such as bruxism and the levels of proinflammatory mediators in the synovial fluid. It was extremely difficult in synovial fluid sampling from the patients with internal derangement and bruxism. Therefore, we could not directly compare the levels of proinflammatory mediators and the presence of mechanical stress. However, We demonstrated that the synovial levels of protein were correlated with joint effusion. In addition, inducible nitric oxide synthase was expressed in the synovial lining cell layers in the synovium of the patients with temporomandibular diseases, not from the control patients. Furthermore, the molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid was decreased compared with that of the controls. These biochemical data strongly suggested that mechanical stress in involved in the pathogenesis of the temporomandibular joint diseases such as internal derangement.
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