Temporomandibular joint innervation: Application to botulinum toxin injections
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Purpose Facial pain represents a public health issue. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are the main cause, and pain such as earaches, headaches, and muscle pain is the primary reason for consultation. The management of this pain along with masseter hypertrophy and facial contouring using botulinum toxin may be explained by innervation. Methods We dissected and studied 50 TMJ using a 3.5 diopter magnification system. The infratemporal fossa was exposed after transecting the zygomatic arch. The mandibular nerve branches were dissected from the foramen ovale to the TMJ and masticatory muscles. The TMJ and muscles around it were observed in macroscopic and histological slices and colored with hematoxylin and eosin. Results Our findings reveal that the auriculotemporal, temporo-masseteric, temporo-buccal, temporal, and facial nerves contribute to the innervation of the TMJ, as do the nerves stemming directly from the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve. The TMJ, masticatory muscles, and facial nerves form a functional and anatomical group. This macroscopic and microscopic study details the innervation of the masticatory muscles and TMJ, with the retrodiscal zone being the most innervated area. Branches originating directly from the mandibular and facial nerves innervate the TMJ. This finding improves our understanding of the main symptoms of this joint disorder: pain, its diffusion, and related sensory signs such as vertigo and earache. Conclusion Pathologies relating to the TMJ are of a neuromuscular nature, with the range and diversity of clinical signs linked to innervation.
Source: Research Square
Authors: Gaoussou Toure, Dea Porozaj, Alice Boyez
Language: English
Subfield: Oral Surgery
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203747445