# Biological and Radiological Findings of Acquired Anterior Open Bite: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A 60-year-old woman with a painful open bite and joint issues was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis affecting her jaw joints.

## Contribution

This case report highlights the link between rheumatoid arthritis and acquired anterior open bite due to mandibular condyle resorption.

## Key findings

- Computed tomography confirmed mandibular condyle resorption as the cause of the open bite.
- Biological analysis led to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis-related temporomandibular joint disorder.
- The patient exhibited restricted mouth opening and TMJ pain with crepitations on palpation.

## Abstract

A 60-year-old female patient was referred to the Department of Functional Exploration, Pain, and Orofacial Dysfunction complaining of a pain in the preauricular regions and a recent apparition of an open bite impeding the masticatory function. In the general examination, the patient had a medical history of polyarthralgia with 7 years of evolution. She had no history of trauma in the maxillofacial region. Clinical examination revealed a restricted mouth opening and pain in the right and left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) areas. The palpation of this region revealed the presence of crepitations. A computed tomography (CT) scan of TMJ revealed a flattening of the condylar heads of the mandible. It also confirmed that the resorption of the two mandibular condyles is the origin of the open bite. After biological analysis, the diagnosis of TMJ disorder related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was made.