Gap Arthroplasty or Interpositional Arthroplasty for the Management of TMJ Ankylosis? A Prospective Randomized Comparative Multicenter Clinical Trial

Aim The main aim of this study is to compare the gap arthroplasty with interpositional gap arthroplasty for the management of TMJ ankylosis. Methodology A prospective randomized multicenter clinical trial had been performed, on 60 patients diagnosed with TMJ ankylosis from August 2005 to June 2015. Patients were equally divided into two groups: Group I patients were treated with gap arthroplasty, while patients in Group II were treated with interpositional arthroplasty. Results The mean age in Group I was 27.9 years and in Group II was 25.6 years. Trauma was the common etiological factor in both the groups. The mean postoperative mouth opening after 1 month, 6 months and 24 months was found to better in Group II. Open bite after 24 months was present in six patients in Group I and in one case in Group II. Permanent facial nerve palsy was present in one patient in both the groups. Frey's syndrome was present in one patient from Group I and none from Group II. Reoccurrence occurred in eight cases from Group I (26.6%) and none from Group II. Conclusion This study concluded that interpositional arthroplasty is better than gap arthroplasty in terms of mouth opening and reankylosis.