SYSTEMIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF ALLOPLASTIC IMPLANTS OF THE TMJ - A PILOT-STUDY

The aim of this study was to examine the relation between alloplastic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants and immune-associated systemic health problems. The authors compared 14 patients who received allopla stic TMJ implants with 31 TMJ patients who had never received surgery on the self-reported occurrence of symptoms and systemic disorders tha t are associated with problems of immunomodulation. Those with allopla stic law implants reported similar or lower rates of surveyed physical disorders than nonsurgical TMJ participants. When the rates were summ ed across symptom categories and physical disorders, implant participa nts had significantly fewer symptoms and disorders than nonsurgical pa rticipants (P < 0.01). This first report on systemic health problems i n alloplastic TMJ implant patients found no evidence of elevated rates of systemic disorders that are associated with problems of immunomodu lation.