title: Traumatic unilateral temporomandibular joint dislocation overlooked for more than two decades.
abstract: Forward dislocation of the temporomandibular joint commonly can be easily diagnosed and successfully reduced by manual repositioning. In this report, we discuss a rare case of prolonged temporomandibular dislocation that had persisted for more than 20 years because the otolaryngologist and dentist had missed the dislocation. This patient underwent open reduction and mandibular joint plasty with preoperative orthodontic therapy. It is possible that strong pain and mouth-closing disability may gradually remit and only deviated mandibular prognathism like malocclusion may persist. Therefore, abnormal occlusion warrants careful attention to temporomandibular joint dislocation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan. turtlewalk@ceres.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Mitsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Sadanori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Kuniaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anraku
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirano
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000293:injuries*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery