Early diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis through temporomandibular disorders symptoms: clinical insights from a longterm follow-up case series

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease in children. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement is common but often asymptomatic with overlapping temporomandibular disorders (TMD) making diagnosis challenging. This report describes 10 pediatric patients diagnosed with both TMD and JIA. Evaluation included clinical, psychological, hematological, and radiological assessments. TMD symptoms were assessed after six months of dental and rheumatological management. TMJ involvement in JIA frequently precedes systemic symptoms and may occur even when blood markers appear negative, highlighting the importance of imaging for early diagnosis and timely intervention. Conventional TMD treatment combined with rheumatologic interventions generally yield favorable results even when JIA underlies TMD symptoms.