Effect of early and prolonged physiotherapy on the results of temporomandibular joint prosthetic replacement.

Objectives: Total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement is indicated when conservative treatments fail in conditions that significantly alter joint anatomy. This study evaluated the impact of early and prolonged physiotherapy on functional outcomes after TMJ prosthetic replacement.

Materials and methods: Thirty-six patients (94.4% female; mean age, 49.8 years) underwent TMJ prosthetic replacement between July 2020 and December 2023, with a mean follow-up of 23.5 months. Functional outcomes included TMJ range of motion (ROM), pain according to a visual analog scale (VAS), and masticatory function (diet and chewing score on the TMJ-S-QoL scale). Patients were divided into two groups based on physiotherapy: early and prolonged (initiated within the first month and continued for ≥ 6 months) vs. absent/delayed/non-prolonged.

Results: Overall, patients showed significant (p < 0.001) improvements in ROM (+ 9.8 mm), pain score (-5.2 points), and diet and chewing score (+ 1.7 points). At 1 year, early and prolonged physiotherapy was associated with significantly better masticatory outcomes. Recovery kinetics showed faster and greater improvements between 1 and 6 months in this group. ROM and pain improvements also favored early rehabilitation, although the differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Early and sustained physiotherapy initiated within the first postoperative month significantly enhances masticatory recovery following TMJ prosthetic replacement. These findings support the integration of structured rehabilitation protocols to optimize long-term functional outcomes.