Training in TMJ surgery: experience of a one-year fellowship

In the United Kingdom, most training programmes in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) do not sufficiently cover management of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to enable newly appointed consultants to practise independently as TMJ surgeons. We describe a one-year fellowship programme for a senior OMFS trainee who had just completed training, which included various international courses in the USA and Europe on specific aspects of TMJ surgery. Under the direct supervision of a consultant, the trainee completed 70 arthroscopic procedures, 13 TMJ cryotherapies, 16 TMJ arthrocenteses, 9 TMJ arthroplasties, and 20 total prosthetic TMJ replacements. Our experience indicates that specific training is required for those who wish to practise in the field of TMJ management and surgery.