Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Functional Mastication after Release of Unilateral Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis with Gap Arthroplasty in a Skeletally Immature Patient - A Prospective Study.

Abstract

Introduction: This study was performed to analyse the oral health-related quality of life (QoL) and masticatory functional efficiency after release of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis.

Materials and methods: There were two groups with Group 1 having 12 operated cases of TMJ ankylosis and Group 2 having 12 normal participants with age- and gender-matched controls. The maximum voluntary bite force (MVBF) of the cases was measured at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively with a digital gnathodynamometer. The patients completed 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaires once before and after surgery. The weight of the operated cases was measured on the same follow-up appointments to ascertain weight gain.

Results: Compared to controls, 70.5% reported efficient bite force at 6 months and all 77.4% had efficient bite forces at 1 year postoperatively. There was an increase in the mean weight by 5.57 kg in the patients by 1 year after surgery. All the OHIP showed a significant improvement.

Discussion: We conclude that with the attainment of efficient MVBF values, the patient's masticatory performance improved concomitantly after release of TMJ ankylosis leading to improvement in oral health maintenance and QoL.