Unlocking the Temporomandibular Joint: CT, MRI, and Arthroscopic Correlation.

The temporomandibular joint constitutes a synovial connection between the mandible and the skull base and plays a pivotal role in functions such as jaw movement, chewing, and verbal and emotional expression. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is observed in about 30% of the population, with a higher prevalence in young to middle-aged women. Interestingly, a majority of individuals affected do not report pain, and only 5%-10% of symptomatic cases necessitate therapeutic intervention.

Improved Quality of Life After Mandibular Advancement by Bilateral Internal Ramus Distraction.

Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a significant health issue due to noncompliance with continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Therefore, evaluating alternative treatments is crucial.

Purpose: Analyze the impact of maxillomandibular advancement using bilateral internal ramus distraction (BIRD) on quality of life (QOL) in OSA patients.

Temporomandibular Joint: Approach to the Intermediate Space by Triangulation With Transillumination Reference.

Arthroscopy of the temporomandibular joint is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Nowadays, 3 levels are described depending on the complexity. Level I involves a single puncture with an anterior irrigating needle for outflow.

Prognostic Involvement of Lymph Node Density in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. A New Predictive Model.

Purpose: Lymph node density (LND) has been reported to be a significant predictor of survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to analyze LND as a prognostic factor in OSCC and create a predictive model that determines the probability of death in these patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out with a cohort of patients who underwent cervical dissection and primary resection of OSCC between 1980 and 2020.

Is There a Relationship Between Age, Personal Factors or Surgical Findings, and Outcome After Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy?

Purpose: The variables involved in prognosis after treatment of internal derangement (ID) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are unclear. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency and identify which factors are associated with treatment success (or failure) among patients with ID managed with arthroscopy.

Material And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out of patients undergoing TMJ arthroscopy over a 9-year-period.

Arthroscopic Management of Synovial Chondromatosis of the Temporomandibular Joint. Case Series and Systematic Review.

Aim: Synovial chondromatosis (SC) is a benign condition that is characterized by the formation of cartilaginous nodules within the synovial tissue of a joint that may detach and form loose bodies inside the articular space. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of surgical arthroscopy for the treatment of SC of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Materials And Methods: A series of six patients treated with arthroscopy (one patient requiring an open arthrotomy due to the size of the loose bodies) in our centre between 1997 and 2016 is presented and results are discussed.

Pathological mandibular fracture: A severe complication of periimplantitis.

Nowadays, dental implant treatment is a very common option for patients even in medical compromised conditons. Some complications related to them have been described. Periimplantitis (PI) is one of the biggest concerns complications of these kind of treatments, probably has a multifactorial aethiology.

Zygomatic distraction osteogenesis for correction of midfacial support after hemimaxillectomy: experience and technical considerations.

Purpose: The maxilla is the functional and esthetic keystone of the midface, and large maxillary defects remain a challenge for reconstructive surgery. Different regional and microvascularized flaps have been used to restore the hemimaxilla. Distraction osteogenesis offers an alternative to complex flaps, with less donor-site morbidity.

Temporomandibular joint disc perforation: long-term results after operative arthroscopy.

Purpose: Disc perforation (DP) is one of the most important pathologic signs of intracapsular temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease; however, few clinical studies have focused on the arthroscopic management of this feature. The purpose of the present study was to assess whether operative arthroscopy with abrasion of the perforation borders is effective for the treatment of this alteration of the internal derangement of the TMJ.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-six patients (39 joints) who underwent TMJ arthroscopy under general anesthesia and presented with DP (Wilkes stages IV and V) from 1994 through 2006 were included in this study.

Arthroscopic lysis and lavage versus operative arthroscopy in the outcome of temporomandibular joint internal derangement: a comparative study based on Wilkes stages.

Purpose: To assess whether arthroscopic lysis and lavage (ALL) or operative arthroscopy (OA) is more effective for the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangement at any stage of involvement.

Patients And Methods: In 458 patients (611 joints) with internal derangement of the TMJ classified as Wilkes stages II through V, arthroscopy was performed. Pain (visual analog scale score, 0-100) and maximal interincisal opening were assessed at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months after surgery.

Osseointegrated implant rehabilitation of irradiated oral cancer patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze implant survival in patients who received radiotherapy treatment for oral malignancies and in patients who had suffered mandibular osteoradionecrosis.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed retrospectively 225 implants placed in 30 patients who had received radiotherapy as part of the oncologic treatment. Radiation doses ranged between 50 and 70 Gy.

Vertical distraction osteogenesis of a free vascularized fibula flap in a reconstructed hemimandible for mandibular reconstruction and optimization of the implant prosthetic rehabilitation. Report of a case.

Free vascularized fibular flap is considered the treatment of choice in mandibular reconstruction for extensive bone defects (over 6 centimeters) resulting from trauma, infections or tumor resections. But, when the reconstruction involves a dentate mandible, the fibula has the limit as it does not offer sufficient bone height to restore the alveolar arch up to the occlusal plane. Therefore, the deficiency in bone height makes implant placement impractical.

Prognostic factors influencing contralateral neck lymph node metastases in oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: The prognostic influence of different clinicopathologic factors in contralateral lymph node metastases of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been rarely described in the literature. Prediction of these contralateral metastases may be of relevance because this factor is strongly associated with poor prognosis. This study analyzed the relationship between predictor factors and the development of contralateral metastases in oral and oropharyngeal SCC.

Influence of the upper joint surface and synovial lining in the outcome of chronic closed lock of the temporomandibular joint treated with arthroscopy.

Purpose: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy has been reported to be an effective and reliable technique for the treatment of chronic closed lock (CCL) of the TMJ. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the status of the joint surface and the synovial lining directly visualized with arthroscopy could determine postoperative results in patients with CCL of the TMJ.

Materials And Methods: In all, 257 of 500 patients (344 joints) fulfilled the inclusion criteria for CCL of the TMJ.

Bifocal transport osteogenesis for the reconstruction of adult calvarial defects: a new surgical technique.

Calvarial defects are common problems in craniofacial surgery. They may be explained by surgical interventions, infectious processes, cranial trauma or congenital anomalies. Calvarial defects are particularly challenging because they do not heal spontaneously in humans older than 24 months.

Reconstruction of oromandibular defects by vascularized free flaps: the radial forearm free flap and fibular free flap as major donor sites.

Purpose: Since the advent of the modern microvascular techniques, the radial forearm free flap (RFFF) and the vascularized fibular free flap (VFFF) have become reliable methods for reconstructing oromandibular defects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with the use of both free flaps in the reconstruction of oral cavity defects after tumoral ablation.

Patients And Methods: Over a 9-year period, 103 consecutive patients were treated in our department for the reconstruction of oral defects after tumor ablation by means of microvascularized free flaps.

Local recurrences and second primary tumors from squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: a retrospective analytic study of 500 patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of local recurrences (LRs) and second primary tumors (SPTs) from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity primarily treated with surgery and to further study their relationship with several primary tumor clinical and pathological features.

Methods: Five hundred of 522 patients with SCC of the oral cavity primarily treated with surgery were retrospectively analyzed for the appearance of LRs and SPTs within the oral cavity. All patients with SPTs fulfilled the Warren & Gates criteria.

Solitary cystic lymph neck node metastasis of occult thyroid papillary carcinoma.

The appearance of a solitary lateral cervical cystic mass as the only initial presenting symptom of occult thyroid carcinoma is uncommon. Its presence is often misdiagnosed due to the more frequent branchial cyst in young people. Although oronasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been reported as the main cause of lymph neck node metastasis, thyroid papillary carcinoma may be responsible for solitary cervical cystic masses as the initial manifestation of the disease.

Unsuccessful temporomandibular joint arthroscopy: is a second arthroscopy an acceptable alternative?

Purpose: Arthroscopic surgery has been shown to be an effective treatment for patients with temporomandibular disorders, relieving patients' symptoms and restoring adequate mandibular function. For those patients with poor arthroscopic outcomes, various treatment modalities are possible, such as nonsurgical therapy, open surgery, or repeat arthroscopic surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our results with rearthroscopy in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction.

Endoscopically-assisted transoral approach for the treatment of subcondylar fractures of the mandible.

Introduction: Treatment of subcondylar fractures of the mandible is one of the most controversial aspects in the field of maxillofacial traumatology. This controversy centers on the positive and negative aspects of open and closed approaches for the treatment of this kind of fractures. Open techniques lead to good reduction and osteosynthesis, but have a high risk of injury to the facial nerve and produce facial scars.

Contralateral lymph neck node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: a retrospective analytic study in 315 patients.

Purpose: In relation to primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, many clinical and histopathologic factors have been reported to be predictive for lymph neck node relapse. However, few large studies concerning the association between clinical-histopathologic features and the development of contralateral lymph neck node relapse (CLNR) after surgical resection of primary SCC of the oral cavity are available. The purpose of this study was to analyze those factors related to the appearance of contralateral lymph neck node relapse in patients with SCC of the oral cavity primarily treated by means of surgery.

Vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects: clinical experience in 42 cases.

Objective: Since the advent of modern microvascular techniques, the fibula has become a reliable method for the reconstruction of partial or total mandibular defects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with the use of the vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects following surgical resection.

Patients And Methods: During a 5-year period, 102 consecutive patients were treated in our department for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects, using microvascularized free flaps.

Vascularized fibular flap for reconstruction of the condyle after mandibular ablation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of the vascularized fibular free flap for the reconstruction of mandibular resections involving the condylar segment.

Patients And Methods: Six patients underwent mandibular resection including the condyle. Two patients were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, whereas the other 4 presented fibrous dysplasia, mandibular osteoradionecrosis, mandibular ameloblastoma, and giant cell granuloma of the mandible.