A clinical evaluation of temporomandibular joint disk plication surgery.

Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed preoperatively and an average of 18 1/2 months postoperatively on 33 patients who had undergone TMJ disk plication surgery because of significant TMJ dysfunction symptoms that had not been resolved by previous conservative therapy. The results indicated that the disk plication procedure reduced the overall frequency of symptoms by 75%. The frequency of TMJ intracapsular, otologic, and head and shoulder symptoms was reduced by more than 80% after surgery whereas dental symptoms such as bruxing and clenching showed only a 28% reduction in incidence. Of the sample 77% were either free of pain or experiencing only mild symptoms at their postoperative recall, with only nine joints still experiencing moderate or severe symptoms, compared with the 31 joints that were in this category before surgery.