Arthroscopic eminoplasty: a new choice of treatment for TMJ internal derangement.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangement is a common disabling disorder that is often underestimated by society. The main goal of our study was to show the clinic improvement experienced by patients that underwent arthroscopic eminoplasty as a treatment for TMJ in our center.

METHODS: Nineteen patients (1 male, 18 females) agreed to participate voluntarily in our study. These patients presented signs and symptoms of TMJ internal derangement and pathological MRI images, and underwent arthroscopic eminoplasty in our center. A patient database was created to record Wilkes stages, type of surgical intervention, complications, and preoperative and postoperative pain and mouth opening.

RESULTS: Our data showed that TMJ pain (measured 6 months before surgery) was higher (M=7.44, SD=1.44; t(18)=8.37, P<0.01) than the pain registered eighteen months after surgery (M=3.10, SD=2.40). Moreover, postoperative mouth opening (M=33.6 SD=7.92) was greater than preoperative mouth opening.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that this technique is effective in reducing pain and increasing mouth opening with minimal postoperative morbidity. Specifically, this technique minimizes the stress suffered by the joint disc at the narrowest points of joint space and increases articular stability.