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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
a   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
,
Altan Varol
b   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
,
Baris Baykal
c   Department of Histology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
,
Hasan Ayberk Altug
d   Etimesgut Military Hospital Dental Service, Ankara, Turkey
,
Necdet Dogan
a   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
,
Sermet Sahin
e   Department of Periodontology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
,
Kemal Murat Okcu
a   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
,
Bulent Yalcin
f   Department of Anatomy, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
27 September 2019 (online)

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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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