Treatment of temporomandibular joint ankylosis by gap arthroplasty.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this paper is to show that gap arthroplasty improve mouth opening when treating TMJ ankylosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Eight patients with TMJ ankylosis were treated by gap arthroplasty. The patients were evaluated by at least twenty-four months (minimum 24 and maximum 48 months).

RESULTS:

Of the eight patients (eleven joints), five (62.5%) had unilateral involvement and three patients (37.5%) had bilateral involvement. The mean age was 20 years -/+ 9 (range 3 to 30 years). The mean maximal incisal opening (MIO) in the preoperative period was 9.25 -/+ 6.41 mm and in the postoperative period it was 29.88 -/+ 4.16 mm. The complication of temporary facial nerve paresis was encountered in two patients (25%). No recurrence was observed in our series.

CONCLUSIONS:

Trauma was the major cause of tempomandibular joint ankylosis in our sample. Gap arthroplasty showed good results when treating TMJ ankylosis.

• Authors: Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito Vasconcelos, Ricardo Viana Bessa-Nogueira, Rafael Vago Cypriano
• Journal: Medicina oral, patologia oral y cirugia bucal (Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal) Vol. 11 Issue 1 Pg. E66-9 (Jan 01 2006) ISSN: 1698-6946 [Electronic] Spain
• PMID: 16388298 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Ankylosis (etiology, surgery)
• Arthroplasty (methods)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Maxillofacial Injuries (complications)
• Range of Motion, Articular
• Plastic Surgery Procedures (methods)
• Temporomandibular Joint (surgery)
• Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (etiology, surgery)