A progressive inflammatory disorder of cranial blood vessels, principally the temporal artery, occurring most frequently in women over 70 years of age. The temporal artery is typically tender, swollen, and pulseless. Symptoms are intractable headache, difficulty in chewing, weakness, rheumatoid pain, and loss of vision if the central retinal artery becomes occluded.

Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.