Short-term outcomes using the Christensen patient-specific temporomandibular joint implant system: a prospective study

Thirty-one patients were assessed for changes in pain and maximal mouth opening (MMO) before and after total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement. All prosthetic joint replacements used the Christensen fossa-eminence prosthesis system; 18 were unilateral and 13 bilateral. There were more women (n = 22) than men (n = 9), and their mean age was 45 years (women 46, range 18–74, and men 42, range 28–69). Indications for replacement included osteoarthritis, ankylosis, and “other”. There were overall significant improvements in pain scores for the whole group at one year (95% CI 6.3–8.5 compared with 0.2–3.0) and for women alone (6.5 to 9.2 compared with −0.5 to 2.0). There were also significant improvements in pain scores in both those with osteoarthritis (95% CI 8.1 to 8.9 compared with −0.8 to 3.8) and the group with “other” diagnoses at the 12-month follow-up (95% CI 4.4 to 10.7 compared with −0.2 to 0.5). Finally, there was a significant improvement in MMO in the whole group at the time of 12-month follow-up (95% CI 15.8–23.5 compared with 24.0–32.3).