The rationale for temporomandibular joint surgery: A review based on a TMJ surgical classification

Objectives

Many surgical techniques of the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) have been devised with little or no reference to the actual diagnosis. So how is it possible to compare treatment outcomes when the diagnosis is lacking? The aim of this article is to review the rationale for surgical procedures of the TMJ with the aid of a surgical classification that has been originally devised and previously published by the author.

Method

The TMJ surgical classification was specifically conceived to match the diagnosis to the surgical treatment and is used in this review as a means of explaining the rationale for TMJ surgery.

Results

To better understand the role of surgery in disorders of the TMJ, we must essentially accept the premise that the most appropriate surgical treatment depends largely on an accurate surgical diagnosis. To that end, the Surgical Classification described in this article is validated with key publications that confirm the importance of matching the diagnosis to the various surgical treatments.

Conclusion

By using a practical surgical TMJ classification that is divided into 5 categories of escalating joint pathology as a guide to diagnosis, future studies can more reliably determine what surgical treatments are most effective for each of the specific diagnostic categories.