What this means
Researchers reviewed 19 studies of artificial jaw joint surgery in young patients. Mouth opening and pain often improved, but some patients had problems like infection.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- 48 patients younger than 18 across 19 studies
- Kind of research
- A summary of earlier studies
The science
- Original title
- Alloplastic temporomandibular joint replacement in skeletally immature population: a systematic review.
- Authors
- Rashid S, Kumar RD, Choudhary S et al.
- Journal
- Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology
- Published
- Oct 14, 2026
- Study type
- Review
- PMID
- 42875259 ↗
Abstract
Background
To systematically evaluate the functional outcomes, complications, implant performance, and growth-related considerations of total temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJR) in skeletally immature population.
What they did
A PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review (CRD420261307254) was conducted through searches of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library up to January 2026. Studies evaluating alloplastic TMJR in patients younger than 18 years were included. Methodological quality and certainty of evidence were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools and GRADE framework, respectively.
What they found
Nineteen studies involving 48 skeletally immature patients were included. Common indications were TMJ ankylosis, syndromic craniofacial deformities, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, trauma, and pathological lesions. Mouth opening improved markedly (0-15 mm to 25-50 mm), with consistent reductions in pain and improved mandibular function. Complications included infection, transient facial nerve weakness, heterotopic ossification, growth asymmetry, and occlusal changes. Prosthetic failure and ankylosis recurrence were rare. Overall evidence certainty was low to very low. Alloplastic TMJR appears to be a safe and effective reconstructive option for carefully selected skeletally immature patients, providing meaningful functional improvement and symptom relief. However, evidence remains limited, and prospective multicentre studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine growth outcomes, implant longevity, and revision rates.
The authors' abstract, grouped under plain headings from its own section labels.
Rashid S, Kumar RD, Choudhary S et al. Alloplastic temporomandibular joint replacement in skeletally immature population: a systematic review. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.oooo.2026.08.072. PMID: 42875259. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42875259/