Analysis of facial and trigeminal nerve function after arthroscopic surgery of the temporomandibular joint.

PURPOSE: This study analyzes facial and trigeminal nerver function after arthroscopic surgery.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Eighty-one consecutive patients (81 joints) who underwent unilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopic surgery were assessed postoperatively for facial and trigeminal nerve function.

RESULTS

Twenty-four of 81 patients (29.6%) had some degree of sensory or motor nerve dysfunction. Two patients (2.5%) showed signs of facial nerve dysfunction, which completely resolved in one patient in 11 weeks, but persisted mildly in the other at the 1-year follow-up examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Auriculotemporal syndrome was not detected in any of the 40 patients tested. However, transient numbness over the distribution of the auriculotemporal nerve was present in 19 of 81 patients (23.4%). This numbness persisted for 3 days to 3 months with a mean duration of 14 days. Three of the 81 patients (3.6%) showed signs of inferior alveolar and lingual nerve involvement, which returned to normal in 4 to 12 weeks in all 3 patients.