Trauma and ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in dogs and cats can result in progressive and debilitating limitation of mandibular motion. Affected patients may lose the ability to open the mouth sufficiently for drinking, food prehension, grooming, thermoregulation, and vocalization, leading to severe reductions in quality of life.

Traditional salvage procedures, such as TMJ gap arthroplasty, aim to remove ankylotic tissue and restore mandibular opening; however, these techniques may be complicated by progressive mandibular drift and recurrence of ankylosis.

In human medicine, alloplastic temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJR) has become the standard of care for end-stage TMJ disease and ankylosis, significantly improving function, nutrition, speech, and social interaction. Building on these principles, our group developed the first species-specific alloplastic TMJ replacement system for dogs and cats. The prosthesis is designed to restore mandibular stability, permit physiologic range of motion, and enable functional recovery.

This presentation reviews current data and ongoing research validating the biomechanical and kinematic performance of TMJR components under ex vivo conditions that replicate clinically relevant loading scenarios. Additionally, the pathway toward clinical translation of veterinary TMJR is discussed.

Refefence
Arzi B, Weed M, Garcia TC, Goldschmidt SL, Marcellin-Little DJ. Kinematic performance of a novel temporomandibular joint replacement prosthesis under bite-force conditions in dogs and cats. Am J Vet Res. 2024;85(7).