Hydroxyapatite/collagen block with platelet rich plasma in temporomandibular joint ankylosis: a pilot study in children and adolescents

Simultaneous TMJ Ankylosis Release with Uniplanar Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis for Correction of Facial Deformity and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Growing Patients: A Pilot Study

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous TMJ ankylosis (TMJA) release with uniplanar mandibular distraction in the management of facial deformity, improvement in function and obstructive sleep apnoea in growing patients.

Material and Methods

Ten patients in the age group of 5-15 years with unilateral/bilateral TMJA and mild to moderate OSA and short body length but ramus height within normal limits were treated with simultaneous ankylosis release and uniplanar mandibular distraction osteogenesis. Clinical, radiographic, and OSA parameters were evaluated and followed up for 1 year.

Results

Average mandibular body length increased by 16.6 mm, mouth opening by 26.9 mm, SNB angle by 9.53°, pharyngeal airway space by 6.29 mm, chin discrepancy corrected by 5.05 mm, apnoea-Hypopnoea index decreased by 15.9, N┴Pog by 12.27 mm, oxygen saturation (Spo2) by 4.1%, and oxygen desaturation index by 17.89%. All clinical, radiographic, and OSA parameters improved and were statistically significant except for mandibular plane angle and with minimal complications.

Conclusion

Simultaneous TMJA release with uniplanar mandibular Distraction osteogenesis may be recommended as the treatment of choice in growing patients with mild to moderate OSA and facial deformity, as it causes simultaneous correction of micrognathia, facial asymmetry, OSA and prevents the need for an additional surgery.

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in Craniofacial Reconstruction and Facial Aesthetics

The craniofacial region is anatomically complex and is of critical functional and cosmetic importance, making reconstruction challenging. The limitations of current surgical options highlight the importance of developing new strategies to restore the form, function, and esthetics of missing or damaged soft tissue and skeletal tissue in the face and cranium. Regenerative medicine (RM) is an expanding field which combines the principles of tissue engineering (TE) and self-healing in the regeneration of cells, tissues, and organs, to restore their impaired function. RM offers many advantages over current treatments as tissue can be engineered for specific defects, using an unlimited supply of bioengineered resources, and does not require immunosuppression. In the craniofacial region, TE and RM are being increasingly used in preclinical and clinical studies to reconstruct bone, cartilage, soft tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. This review outlines the current progress that has been made toward the engineering of these tissues for craniofacial reconstruction and facial esthetics.

Temporomandibular Joint Regenerative Medicine

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an articulation formed between the temporal bone and the mandibular condyle which is commonly affected. These affections are often so painful during fundamental oral activities that patients have lower quality of life. Limitations of therapeutics for severe TMJ diseases have led to increased interest in regenerative strategies combining stem cells, implantable scaffolds and well-targeting bioactive molecules. To succeed in functional and structural regeneration of TMJ is very challenging. Innovative strategies and biomaterials are absolutely crucial because TMJ can be considered as one of the most difficult tissues to regenerate due to its limited healing capacity, its unique histological and structural properties and the necessity for long-term prevention of its ossified or fibrous adhesions. The ideal approach for TMJ regeneration is a unique scaffold functionalized with an osteochondral molecular gradient containing a single stem cell population able to undergo osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation such as BMSCs, ADSCs or DPSCs. The key for this complex regeneration is the functionalization with active molecules such as IGF-1, TGF-β1 or bFGF. This regeneration can be optimized by nano/micro-assisted functionalization and by spatiotemporal drug delivery systems orchestrating the 3D formation of TMJ tissues.

TMJ Bioengineering: A review

Regeneration using scaffolds, growth factors, and stem cells is being investigated worldwide. Pubmed search for scaffolds for condyle resulted in 102 articles, of which 24 analyzed Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) scaffolds and only 6 evaluated hydroxyapatite scaffolds. 17 articles report studies on TMJ disc regeneration. The ideal bone construct for repair should be able to replicate the lost structure, restore function, be harmless, reliable and biodegradable. Scaffolds act as carriers for mesenchymal stem cells and/or growth factors and are useful for cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Gene therapy has also led to the accelerated effective bone regeneration. The major materials used as scaffolds are natural or synthetic polymers, ceramics, composite materials, and electrospun nanofibers. Mesenchymal stem cells are responsible for the formation of virtually all dental, oral, and craniofacial structures. Tissue-engineered bone can possess the customized shape and dimensions. It has the potential for the biological replacement of craniofacial bones.