[Development and preliminary clinical application of home-made temporomandibular joint prostheses]

Objective: To explore the clinical application of home-made temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prostheses. Methods: Self-developed TMJ prostheses were applied for end stage osteoarthritis, TMJ ankylosis, condylar tumors after biomechanical examination. The stability of the prostheses toward bone was evaluated during operation. Post-operative CT scans and clinical follow-ups were taken to check changes of mouth opening, position of the prostheses, bone resorption around the screws, and heterotopic bone formation around artificial condyle. Results: There were 6 patients accepted 7 prostheses smoothly without infection and other complications. Post-operative follow-ups were from 6 to 13 months with a mean of 7.6 months. Mouth opening was significantly improved from (16.2±14.4) mm before operation to (31.5±4.8) mm during follow-ups (P=0.01). All prostheses were stable without screw loose and heterotopic bone formation. Conclusions: Home-made TMJ prostheses were stable after primary clinical application, but the long-term results need to be observed.