Effect of a Surgical Approach on the Intra-articular Architecture of the Temporomandibular Joint — an Animal Study

Objective: This study investigated the effect of a surgical approach on the intra-articular architecture of the temporomandibular joint.Materials and Methods: The temporomandibular joints of 4 merino sheep were subject to surgical exposure without intra-articular surgery. The animals were sacrificed 3 months following the operation. Four unoperated joints from 4 other sheep served as controls. The surgically approached joints and the unoperated control joints were evaluated and compared radiologically, macroscopically, and histologically.Results: The surgically approached joints did not develop any degenerative changes. No significant differences were found between the surgically approached joints and the control unoperated joints.Conclusion: Study results indicate that a surgical approach alone has no intra-articular effects on the architecture of the temporomandibular joint.