Design and clinical outcome of a novel 3D-printed prosthetic joint replacement for the human temporomandibular joint

Abstract

Background: Stock prosthetic temporomandibular joint replacements come in limited sizes, and do not always encompass the joint anatomy that presents clinically. The aims of this study were twofold. Firstly, to design a personalized prosthetic total joint replacement for the treatment of a patient's end-stage temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, to implant the prosthesis into the patient, and assess clinical outcome 12-months post-operatively; and secondly, to evaluate the influence of changes in prosthetic condyle geometry on implant load response during mastication. Methods: A 48-year-old female patient with Grade-5 osteoarthritis to the left temporomandibular joint was recruited, and a ..