Temporomandibular joint surgery for internal derangement.

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Periodontics

Background:

• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMDs) are a spectrum of conditions affecting the jaw joint.
• Surgical intervention plays a limited but crucial role in managing refractory TMDs.
• Current surgical treatment often lacks strict, evidence-based criteria for patient selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the spectrum of surgical procedures for TMDs.
• To discuss suggested criteria for the appropriate selection of patients for each surgical technique.
• To outline indications, techniques, outcomes, and complications for TMJ surgeries.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of TMJ surgical procedures.
• Discussion of suggested indications and criteria for arthrocentesis, lavage, and open joint surgery.
• Analysis of reported outcomes and complications associated with each surgical approach.

Main Results:

• A range of surgical options exists for TMDs, from minimally invasive to complex open procedures.
• Nonsurgical management is typically integrated before and after surgical interventions.
• Scientifically validated criteria for surgical decision-making are currently limited.

Conclusions:

• Surgical management of TMDs should be guided by carefully considered, though not yet fully proven, criteria.
• The choice of surgical procedure should be tailored to the specific case, considering potential outcomes and complications.
• Further research is needed to establish robust, evidence-based guidelines for TMJ surgery.