Temporomandibular Joint Reconstruction in Patients With Autoimmune/Connective Tissue Disease

To evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with autoimmune or connective tissue (CT) disease undergoing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reconstruction.

Patients were divided into 2 groups based on type of TMJ reconstruction. Patients in group 1 (n = 9) underwent autogenous reconstruction and had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (5), lupus arthritis (1), and psoriatic arthritis (3). Patients in group 2 (n = 2l) had alloplastic reconstruction with a patient-fitted total joint prosthesis (TMJ Concepts, Ventura, CA) and had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (15), lupus (3), and psoriatic arthritis (3). Standardized clinical and radiographic examinations were performed before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at longest follow-up after surgery (T3).

Group l showed no meaningful improvement in maximal opening without pain, a decrease in lateral excursions, minimal decrease in TMJ pain, and a 32% relapse of chin projection at point B at T3. Average postsurgery follow-up time was 58 months. Postsurgical ankylosis was seen in 22% of patients. In contrast, group 2 showed a statistically meaningful decrease in subjective TMJ pain and lateral excursive movements and improvement in jaw function, diet, maximal incisal opening without pain, and only 5% showed a relapse at point B at T3. Average postsurgical follow-up in this group was 78 months.

Improved treatment outcomes were obtained with alloplastic TMJ total joint reconstruction compared with autogenous TMJ reconstruction in patients with autoimmune or CT disease.