Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) is a condition characterized by severe pain and joint dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint. The main pathological change in TMJ OA is cartilage degeneration, and chondrocytes are the primary cell type within cartilage tissue. This paper explores the hypothesis that chondrocyte death plays a central role in the process of cartilage degeneration in TMJ OA. Specifically, it focuses on programmed cell death (PCD) as a regulated mechanism involved in the development of OA. The research progress on PCD in OA cartilage degeneration is discussed, offering new insights and ideas for future basic research on cartilage degeneration in TMJ OA