Soft and hard tissue correction of facial deformity associated with bilateral temporomandibular joint ankylosis.

Bilateral temporomandibular joint ankylosis in childhood can result in severe facial deformity characterized by both hard and soft tissue changes. The soft tissue deformity manifests as a submental hump of redundant soft tissue which has been displaced inferiorly due to deficiency of skeletal attachments. Improved results can be produced in these cases if the orthognathic correction is complemented by correction of the soft tissues. The presence of microgenia makes it possible to reach the subplatysmal plane through an intraoral incision allowing for the plication of platysma and relocation of the displaced soft tissues from the cervical to the mental region.