Long-term Rheumatological Findings Associated with Surgical Alloplastic Temporomandibular Joint Implants

*3837 Long-term Rheumatological Findings Associated with Surgical Alloplastic Temporomandibular Joint Implants*
P.L. CARLSON, J.O. LOOK, J. FRICTON, E. SCHIFFMAN, and A. JACKSON, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA Objectives: The aim was to assess whether surgical alloplastic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants are associated with rheumatologic disorders. Methods: In a cross-sectional follow-up study, 466 subjects were evaluated who underwent treatment for TMJ disc displacement (DD) prior to 1990. Long-term outcomes following non-surgical treatment for TMJ DD were compared to those associated with TMJ surgery without implants, or TMJ surgery utilizing one of three alloplastic implants. Follow-up rheumatology referral rates are reported for five treatment groups: I) Non-surgical (n=159); II) TMJ surgery with no implant (n=149); III) TMJ surgery with SILASTICŽ temporary implant (n=31); IV) TMJ surgery with SILASTICŽ permanent implant (n=33); and V) TMJ surgery with PROPLAST/TEFLONŽ implant (n=94). Referral to rheumatology was based on a positive screen for findings that may be associated with the presence of systemic rheumatologic disease. The rheumatologic screen utilized the Rheumatic Problems Questionnaire, and laboratory tests including the FANA screen, blood chemistry and hematology, and urinalysis. One investigator (JOL) made all referrals. The observed referral rates were analyzed by PROC FREQ (SAS). Results: Percent referral by treatment group was: Group I (45.3%), II (35.6%), III (41.9%), IV (33.3%) and V (44.7%). There was no statistical difference between these referral rates (p > 0.9). An adjusted analysis using PROC LOGISTIC (SAS) controlled for gender, age at treatment, age at follow-up, treatment date, and surgical status (0 = no TMJ surgery; 1 = single TMJ surgery; 2 = multiple TMJ surgeries). The results were unchanged (p = 0.3). Data on the formal rheumatologic diagnoses are now being collected with no difference as yet between treatments. Conclusion: In this study sample, long-term outcomes of the surgical alloplastic TMJ implants were not associated with higher rheumatology referral rates than non-surgical treatment for TMJ DD or TMJ surgery without implants. A Dow Corning Corporation grant supported this study.
Seq #385 - TMJ Structure and Function 10:15 AM-11:30 AM, Saturday, 13 March 2004 Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall 1-2
Back to the Neuroscience / TMJ Program Back to the IADR/AADR/CADR 82nd General Session (March 10-13, 2004)
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