Histological Characteristics of Ligaments between Middle Ear and Temporomandibular Joint

Metin Sencimen; Altan Varol; Baris Baykal; Hasan Ayberk Altug; Necdet Dogan; Sermet Sahin; Kemal Murat Okcu; Bulent Yalcin

doi:10.1055/s-0039-1697445

European Journal of Dentistry, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Eur J Dent 2009; 03(04): 280-284
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1697445

Original Article

Dental Investigation Society

Histological Characteristics of Ligaments between Middle Ear and Temporomandibular Joint

Metin Sencimen

^aDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

,

Altan Varol

^bDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey

,

Baris Baykal

^cDepartment of Histology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

,

Hasan Ayberk Altug

^dEtimesgut Military Hospital Dental Service, Ankara, Turkey

,

Necdet Dogan

^aDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

,

Sermet Sahin

^eDepartment of Periodontology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

,

Kemal Murat Okcu

^aDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

,

Bulent Yalcin

^fDepartment of Anatomy, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

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ABSTRACT

Objectives: To examine histological aspects of the ligaments between the middle ear and temporomandibular joint and suppose a theoretical role of their structural characteristics on mobility of mallear ossicle.

Methods: The ligaments were obtained by microdissection of middle cranial fossa on both sites of 15 cadavers fixed in formalin solution and were sectioned longitudinally (7-10 µm thickness). The sections were stained with Verhoff’s Van Gieson’s stain (VVG) for demonstration of elastic fibers and visualized at X2.5 and X10 magnifications under light microscopy.

Results: Anterior mallear ligament (AML) and sphenomandibular ligaments (SML) were consisted of collagen fibres in analyzed specimens. The discomallear ligament (DML) was constituted of rich collagenous fibres. One specimen of DML harvested between petrotympanic fissure and retrodiscal-capsular intersection site contained elastic fibers dispersed in cotton-bowl appearance between collagen fibers. In the light of functional tests performed in previous studies, it could be extrapolated that presence of elastic fibers in the DML may prevent excessive forces conducted to mallear head by elongation of elastic fibers.

Conclusions: Collagenous fibres have no ability to stretch along their axis which may lack compensatory mechanism to prevent mallear head mobility. (Eur J Dent 2009;3:280-284)

Key words:

Anterior mallear ligament - Discomallear ligament - Sphenomandibular ligament - Collagen fibres - Elastic fibres - Malleus

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References

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