Ligaments

The condylodiscal ligaments are intracapsular support structures that are responsible for maintaining the general posture of the disc superior to the condylar surface. These ligaments occupy the medial and lateral poles of the mandibular condyles, and they blend with the fibrous connective tissue of the medial and lateral portions of the disc. These ligaments are not weight-bearing structures. However, they play a vital role in maintaining the disc in proper alignment at both poles. Furthermore, these internal ligaments must remain tight enough to tether the disc, but at the same time, they must have enough laxity to allow the disc to assume a more posterior relation with respect to the condyle during forward translation.

Like other ligaments, if the joint is hyperextended, these structures must hold up to these forces. Finally, although the condylodiscal ligaments function in harmony to hold the disc in alignment, they are independent structures and are functionally distinct. Hence, they may break down independently.