Surgical treatment of recurrent mandibular dislocation by augmentation of the articular eminence with cranial bone.

PURPOSE: This article describes the use of calvarial bone grafts to augment the height of the articular eminence to treat recurrent mandibular dislocation.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Eight patients with mandibular recurrent dislocation were studied clinically, radiographically, and with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) immediately before surgery, and at 1 week, 6 months, and 1 year after the operation. All the patients were treated with a modification of the Lindemann-Norman technique, performing an oblique osteotomy in the articular eminence and placing a calvarial graft into the osteotomy to augment the height of the eminence.

RESULTS

During 18 months of follow-up, no cases of dislocation were noted.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that the surgical technique presented has very low morbidity and predictable outcomes.