Two cases of long-standing bilateral forward dislocation of the mandible are presented. Both patients were successfully operated on by eminectomy after Myrhaug's description.
Case 1: A 62-year-old woman visited our clinic, complaining of both forward displacement of her chin and difficulty in closing her mouth for 37 days. Manual reposition was tried without success. Open reduction according to the Myrhaug's epinectomy was performed under general anesthesia.
Case 2: A 74-year-old woman visited our clinic, complaining of masticatory disturbance for 57 days. After unsuccessful manual reposition, open reduction according theMyrhaug's procedure was done under general anesthesia.
Postoperative courses of both patients were satisfactory.
The reason why luxation was not immediately reduced but left untreated andthusbecame long-lasting cases was that dislocation of the temporomandibular joint was not noticed by surgeon, physician or otolaryngologist whom both patients visited.