Does Temporomandibular Joint Pathology With or Without Surgical Management Affect the Stability of Counterclockwise Rotation of the Maxillomandibular Complex in Orthognathic Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the stability of counterclockwise rotation (CCWR) of the maxillomandibular complex (MMC) in orthognathic surgery with or without surgical correction of coexisting temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology.

Materials and methods: The authors implemented a systematic review and meta-analysis. A search of major databases through PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL was performed. Inclusion criteria were studies that analyzed CCWR of the MMC in regard to skeletal stability after orthognathic surgery in patients with or without pre-existing TMJ pathology that was or was not surgically corrected concomitantly. The predictor variables were patients who underwent CCWR of the MMC in the following subgroups: 1) healthy TMJs (presumed healthy based on history, clinical evaluation, and radiographic analysis but without magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] confirmation), 2) no TMJ assessment, 3) untreated TMJ disc displacement (confirmed by MRI), 4) TMJ disc displacement (confirmed by MRI) repositioned using Mitek anchors, and 5) reconstruction with TMJ total joint prosthesis. Outcome variables were surgical relapse for angular and linear measurements. Postsurgical mean changes for the occlusal plane (OP) and linear measurements using a fixed-effects model with a 95% confidence interval were analyzed.

Results: A total of 345 patients enrolled in 12 studies were included in this study. There was significant OP relapse and horizontal relapse at the B point and menton for studies with untreated TMJ disc displacement and studies without TMJ assessment (P < .005). There was significant horizontal relapse at the A point for studies with healthy TMJs, without assessment of the TMJs, and with TMJ reconstruction with total joint prostheses (P < .005). There was no significant vertical relapse at the B and A points for all subgroup analyses (P < .005).

Conclusion: The result of the meta-analysis suggests that CCWR of the MMC is a stable procedure for patients with healthy TMJs, patients undergoing concomitant TMJ disc repositioning with Mitek anchors, and patients with TMJ patient-fitted total joint prostheses but unstable in the presence of untreated TMJ disc displacements and when TMJ status is not assessed.