Biomechanical evaluation of the human mandible after temporomandibular joint replacement under different biting conditions.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement with an implant is only used when all other conservative treatments fail. Despite the promising short-term results, the long-term implications of TMJ replacement in masticatory function are not fully understood. Previous human and animal studies have shown that perturbations to the normal masticatory function can lead to morphological and functional changes in the craniomaxillofacial system.