Atraumatic Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis: A Case Report

Fibrous or bony adhesion of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) leading to temporomandibular joint ankylosis (TMJA) can lead to limitation or inability to open the mouth, causing difficulty or inability to mastication, speaking, or maintaining oral hygiene, and ultimately leading to growth restriction of affected joint as well as general habitus.This is a case report of an adult patient of 35 years who had been challenged with TMJA for 17 years following acute toothache and pus discharge from jaw at teenage (13 years).The patient has been treated with bilateral gap arthroplasty with ipsilateral flap graft, along with left coronoidectomy and active postoperative physiotherapy.The study concludes that an ankylosis of TMJ may be successfully treated with surgical intervention with grafting with active physiotherapy at any time the ailment is diagnosed.