[Temporomandibular fibro-chondromalacia. Physiological basis. Classification on the basis of clinical characteristics and course. Spongialisation (author's transl)].

The temporomandibular joints are neural structures which develop from the cephalic ectomesenchyme of the neural crests. They are analogous to the effector organs. Their lesional abnormalities have two characteristics:--pain sensation,--"foreign body".