Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery outcomes for jaw joint ankylosis in dogs and cats
By Kocsis, Kristin et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Lone Star Dentistry & Oral Surgery for Animals, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Outcomes of surgical management for temporomandibular joint ankylosis and pseudoankylosis: a retrospective report of 26 cases.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in for difficulty opening its mouth due to a condition called temporomandibular joint ankylosis, which can cause severe pain and eating problems. The dog underwent surgery, and the results were promising, with many pets showing significant improvement in their ability to move their jaws afterward. While some pets experienced minor complications, overall, the surgical options provided good outcomes, especially with interpositional arthroplasty, which seemed to have fewer issues compared to other methods. The dog was able to eat and play more comfortably after the procedure.
People also search for: dog jaw problems surgery · temporomandibular joint ankylosis treatment · dog mouth opening issues
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Temporomandibular joint ankylosis and pseudoankylosis are uncommon conditions that can lead to devastating consequences. Surgery is the standard of care with different surgical techniques described. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the outcomes of segmental mandibulectomy (SM), excisional ostectomy (EO), gap arthroplasty (GA), and interpositional arthroplasty (IA) in the surgical management of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis and pseudoankylosis in cats and dogs. METHODS: Case accrual was requested from the members of the American Veterinary Dental College listserv. The inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of TMJ ankylosis or pseudoankylosis, confirmed either by helical computed tomography (CT) or cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), surgical treatment, and follow-up information of 2 weeks for short-term complications, 3-6 weeks for medium-term complications, and >4 months for long-term complications. RESULTS: A total of 26 cases (14 cats and 12 dogs) from 10 institutions were included from 2011 to 2024. Surgical treatment outcomes were categorized with a proposed improvement score classification system based on the percent range of motion (ROM) improvement, requirement for revision surgery, and presence of transiente or permanent complications. Excellent, good, and fair outcomes were observed across all procedure types, with no poor outcomes diagnosed. SM resulted in complications in all cases, with no excellent outcomes. Perioperative complications were rare, with only one case of hypothermia reported in a cat. Conversely, the postoperative complication rate was 50% (13/26) and included neuromuscular issues (19.2%; 5/26), malocclusion (26.9%; 7/26), callus formation not requiring surgical revision (3.8%; 1/26), and re-ankylosis requiring surgical revision (15.4%; 4/26). Surgical revision was only required in patients initially treated with SM and GA. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that excellent outcomes are possible for cats and dogs affected by TMJ ankylosis and pseudoankylosis, and that IA may have postoperative advantages compared to GA and SM.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40630221/