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Disk position before and after modified condylotomy in 80 symptomatic temporomandibular joints
J R Werther1, H D Hall, S J Gibbs
1Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn., USA.
Objective:
Our primary objective was to determine the frequency of disk reduction after modified condylotomy and whether the type of displacement affected outcome.
Design:
We classified reducing disk displacements from magnetic resonance images of 80 symptomatic temporomandibular joints before modified condylotomy. Disk position was reassessed after surgery.
Results:
The disk and condyle typically move in reciprocal directions. The disk was reduced by surgery in 79% of the joints. The rate of reduction varied by the type of displacement, but the differences between the groups were not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
This finding reaffirms that modified condylotomy has a high rate of disk reduction. The unexpected observation that the increase in joint space resulting from the surgery typically permitted a variable degree of spontaneous movement of the disk has implications for the nature of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement and for surgical treatments intended to reduce the risk.