The effect of physical therapy intervention on incisal opening after temporomandibular joint surgery

A retrospective study of 58 postoperative patients who underwent temporomandibular joint surgery was done to determine the effect of a physical therapy treatment program of ultrasound, superficial heat, and exercise on incisal opening 6 to 12 months after surgery. Twenty-nine of the subjects had surgery and physical therapy intervention, while 29 had surgery only. Patients referred for physical therapy had more complaints of pain and significantly less incisal opening after surgery than those not referred for physical therapy. Both groups, however, had achieved a comparable amount of incisal opening 6 to 12 months after surgery. Chi square analysis indicated that patients with an incisal opening of less than 30 mm postoperatively were more likely to have an incisal opening of 40 mm 6 to 12 months after surgery if they received physical therapy treatments. Patients having more than 30 mm of incisal opening a month after surgery showed a greater tendency to achieve more than 40 mm of opening if physical therapy was included in the postoperative management.