We investigated treatment methods for habitual dislocation of the temporomandibular joint in our department and their problems. Thirty-two patients were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 78 ± 15 years, with a range of 36 to 94 years. All patients had an underlying disease, such as cerebral infarction, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and lateral sclerosis. The Buckley-Terry method or eminectomy were performed under local anesthesia in 26 joints of 16 patients respectively. While recurrence occurred in 5 of 16 patients （6/26 joints; 23.1%） after the Buckley-Terry method, no recurrence was detected after eminectomy （p = 0.043, Fisher’s exact test）. The cause of recurrence after the Buckley-Terry method was the deformation of titanium plates. Temporarily peripheral facial nerve palsy developed in 3 of 16 patients （3/26 joints; 11.5%） treated by the Buckley-Terry method, but not in any patient treated by eminectomy. Our results suggest that eminectomy is a more useful treatment than the Buckley-Terry method for habitual dislocation of the temporomandibular joint, especially in elderly patients with underlying diseases.
