Abstract
Various symptoms and signs of temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction have been reported following orthognathic surgery. Although the sagittal splitting ramus osteotomy, which has become one of the most common surgical procedures used for treating dento-facial deformities, has superior advantages, there is concern about pathological changes in the TMJ following surgical treatment of mandibular asymmetry. On the other hand, higher incidence of TMJ dysfunction has also been reported for mandibular asymmetry. Therefore, not only the occlusion but also improvement of TMJ dysfunction during the treatment of mandibular asymmetry must be considered.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the surgical correction of mandibular asymmetry by bilateral intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy results in improvement of symtoms. The prospective study was 23 patients (17 females and 6 males; mean age of 22.7 years) with mandibular asymmetry. History, clinical findings, and pain indices were used to determine the frequency and severity of temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The severity of the pain of temporomandibular joint dysfunction in most patients was significantly reduced or totally eliminated during the follow-up period. New symptoms and signs of TMJ dysfunction did not appear. The results supported the use of bilateral intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy during treatment of the patient with mandibular asymmetry.
