Short-term outcomes using the Christensen patient-specific temporomandibular joint implant system: a prospective...

Thirty-one patients were assessed for changes in pain and maximal mouth opening (MMO) before and after total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement. All prosthetic joint replacements used the Christensen fossa-eminence prosthesis system; 18 were unilateral and 13 bilateral. There were more women (n=22) than men (n=9), and their mean age was 45 years (women 46, range 18-74, and men 42, range 28-69). Indications for replacement included osteoarthritis, ankylosis, and "other". There were overall significant improvements in pain scores for the whole group at one year (95% CI 6.3-8.5 compared with 0.2-3.0) and for women alone (6.5 to 9.2 compared with -0.5 to 2.0). There were also significant improvements in pain scores in both those with osteoarthritis (95% CI 8.1 to 8.9 compared with -0.8 to 3.8) and the group with "other" diagnoses at the 12-month follow-up (95% CI 4.4 to 10.7 compared with -0.2 to 0.5). Finally, there was a significant improvement in MMO in the whole group at the time of 12-month follow-up (95% CI 15.8-23.5 compared with 24.0-32.3).