Temporomandibular joint arthritis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

2015 Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous condition defined by arthritis in children under age 16 at onset, lasting at least 6 weeks, without any identifiable etiology. The last 2 decades have witnessed an explosion of research into therapeutics that have allowed most children with JIA to live normal lives. One joint that has lagged behind is the temporomandibular joint. Long neglected in studies of JIA, there has been increased attention paid to this joint, with studies showing that not only is it difficult to treat with systemic therapies, but it may be uniquely vulnerable to local therapy. This review will summarize the scholarship on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of temporomandibular joint arthritis in children with JIA.