Surgical treatment of chronic mandibular dislocation

Abstract

The surgical procedure to install bone plates and screws at the articular eminence is a procedure that aims to eliminate the recurrence of mandibular dislocation. When clinical therapeutics modalities are not effective the surgical procedure must be the treatment choice. The aim of this study is to verify the effectiveness and demonstrate the easiness to install and fix bone plates and screws at the articular eminence. A retrospective investigation of 4 patients (8 articulations) that showed episodes of chronic bilateral mandibular dislocations with surgical installation of bone plates and screws at articular eminence region was done aiming to stop condilar excessive movement. The follow-up period was done for at least 6 months by clinical and radiographics exams. None of the patients demonstrated recurrence of mandibular dislocation after the surgical procedure, neither complications were observed with titanium material stable during all studied period. This technique demonstrated to be safe and efficient to hinder dislocations of mandible, preserving the TMJ initial characteristics, preventing abnormal condilar movement over the articular eminence, and it is a reversible procedure. Key words: Temporamandibular joint. Surgery. Chronic recurrent luxation.