Animal models of idiopathic/progressive condylar resorption: a scoping review

Background: Many animal models of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been developed and adopted to fully explore the mechanism of TMD onset and progression and to develop its medications and treatment devices; however, the development of animal models of idiopathic/progressive condylar resorption (ICR/PCR) is still ongoing. This article provides an overview of the status of TMD and the development of ICR/PCR animal models. Methods: Relevant articles published in English between January 2000 and March 2025 were collected from the PubMed and Scopus databases using the keywords “temporomandibular joint”, “animal model”, and “condylar resorption”. Results: After a detailed literature search, seven articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria were considered. Based on numerous evidence associated with the etiology of TMD, various animal models of TMD have been established to develop medications and devices for treating TMD. In contrast, since the causes and risk factors for condylar resorption remain unknown, research on condylar resorption is still ongoing. Conclusions: There are many questions that still need to be resolved, such as why the condylar resorption specifically happens in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and what the difference is between patients who develop condylar resorption and those who do not. In solving these questions, it is essential to develop precise animal models of condylar resorption.