Osteochondroma of the temporomandibular joint: report of 2 cases emphasizing the importance of personalizing the surgical treatment.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondromas (OCs) are rare in the craneofacial area (0.6%). We present 2 cases of OC of the mandibular condyle, emphasizing the surgical decision of each case. CASE 1: In a 48-year-old woman with facial asymmetry, left cross-bite, and mandible deviation to the left, a computerized tomographic (CT) scan confirmed the presence of a bony expansion of the right condyle. The clinical diagnosis was osteochondroma. The patient underwent condylectomy with costochondral reconstruction. CASE 2: In a 76-year-old woman with a 1-month history of right preauricular pain, CT showed a deformed right condyle with a bony mass at the base of the temporal bone and the articular fossa. OC of the skull base was diagnosed, with possibly a concurrent lesion of the condyle. The patient underwent condylectomy with the removal of the skull base mass and an inmediate TMJ reconstruction by means of an appropriately sized stock total TMJ prosthesis.

CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to personalize the temporomandibular joint reconstructive options.