Surgical Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Ankyloses: Meniscus Conservation and Relocation

Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint is a serious complication, mainly after trauma and local or systemic infection. In rare cases, ankylosis is associated with systemic disease such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. According to the functional restriction and the provoked disturbances of facial growth in the youth, an early and effective therapy is desirable. There is a wide variety of surgical approaches to temporomandibular joint ankylosis, ranging from chondro-osseous grafts to prothesis. In the article the authors present the clinical case of a 60-year-old patient who, at the age of 6, accidentally fell from a height of about 2 m. In 60 years old, after removing the temporomandibular ankylosis with surgical technique, patient showed a marked improvement of mandibular kinetics.