title: Clinicoradiological evaluation of dermis-fat grafts after temporomandibular joint discectomy: A retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the preoperative and 1-year postoperative clinical and radiological findings of the patients after unilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discectomy with inter-positional abdominal dermis-fat graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients underwent unilateral discectomy and dermis-fat grafting between 2008 and 2010. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative clinical parameters such as maximum mouth openings (MMO) and lateral movements (LM) of the mandible were recorded. Additionally, preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance imagingwas obtained to determine the duration of operated TMJs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the 14 patients showed the improvement in mandibular mobility and function. There was a significant increase in the MMO and LM during the follow-up period. Pain levels at follow-up were significantly lower than the preoperative levels. Radiologically, the dermis-fat graft was detected within the joint or surrounding the condyle in all 14 operated joints. The graft material that was found within the joint space was mainly grey in four joints. Ten joints showed heterogeneous material composed of fat interspersed with grey tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Discectomy and dermis-fat grafting appears to be a successful surgical option regarding to the clinical parameters. However, summed degenerative changes depending on surgical operation should be retained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Dentistry, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Celal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Candirli
authors.forename: Alparslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taskesen
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakir