Bilaminar zone: anatomical aspects, irrigation and inervation

RESUMO

The temporomandibular joint, a synivial joint of great importance in dentistry, consists of articular surfaces, ligaments, and the articular disk. The posterior region of the disk or bilaminar zone consists of upper layer that is attached to the posterior wall of the mandibular head and forms the posterior limit of the disk. Lesions in this regions caused by distention, trauma or pressure can lead to luxation of the disk and temporomandibular disorders that may or may not be accompanied by degenerative alterations. In this work, we examined the anatomy of the bilaminar zone, as well as its irrigation and innervation. Five human heads fixed in 10 por cento formalin underwent medial sagittal sectioning followed by dissecting. The bilaminar zone was irrigated by the superficial temporal artery and anterior tympanic and deep auricular arteries. Innervation of this region was by the sensorial terminations of the auriculotemporal nerve. These finding indicated that the bilaminar zone was located in a innervated and vascularized area in the posterior region of the disk.