Surgical treatment of ankyloses of the temporomandibular joint in children.

Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint leads in children to serious disorders such as loss of dentition, growth retardation of the lower jaw, facial asymmetry etc. During the period from 1993 till 1997 we treated 12 children incl. eight who had unilateral and four bilateral ankylosis. In six patients, after elimination of the ankylosis, reconstruction of the head was made with a total of nine costochondral grafts. In entire all patients the temporal muscle or a silicone plate was interposed between the skull base and mandible. Postoperative complications were minimal. Surgical treatment, which is only half of the issue of treatment, must be followed by long-term careful rehabilitation. The results which were achieved contributed in a significant way to a more favourable further development of the children.