Total joint reconstruction--autologous or alloplastic

The functional goals of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reconstruction are the same regardless of whether they are accomplished with autogenous tissues or alloplastic materials. Which of these reconstruction modalities is best suited for an individual case should depend on the nature of the defect, the pathology that created that defect, the history of the course of the patient's prior nonsurgical and surgical interventions and the response to each, and most importantly on the evidence from refereed literature that supports the choice of alloplast verses autogenous reconstruction based on scientific data. This article provides an evidence-based review of the autogenous and alloplastic TMJ reconstruction literature. The reader can then more accurately determine which of these two modalities provides the most appropriate option for the management of the above conditions so as to achieve the functional goals.