Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis:Evaluation of surgical outcomes

Abstract

The study reviews surgical outcomes of 45 temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis patients that were treated in the maxillofacial and oral surgery unit of the University of the Western Cape, in South Africa.The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of our protocol and to compare the outcomes unilateral and bilateral TMJ ankylosiscases. In this study the outcomes of TMJ ankylosiswere evaluated by using the following three parameters; preoperative maximal interincisal opening (preop MIO), intraoperative maximal interincisal opening (OP MIO) and the outcome Maximal interincisal opening (outcome MIO). The patient progress since surgery is calculated by subtracting Op MIO from the outcome MIO, and parameter is called postoperative change (Pop MIO). While the overall change is measured by subtracting preop MIO from the outcome MIO, and variable is called Overall change in MIO (OC MIO). The study showed that surgical release of TMJ ankylosis improved mouth opening by a mean OC MIO of 18.5mm. The study also showed that there was no difference in outcomes between unilateral and bilateral cases. Gap arthroplasty showed better outcomes than reconstruction with costochondral graft.