There are basically five types of TMJ surgery: arthrocentesis, disk repositioning, discectomy, articular eminance recontouring and TMJ replacement. These procedures differ in their level of invasiveness, with arthrocentesis being the easiest and TMJ replacement the most difficult surgery. All types of surgery carry risks, but you can expect different levels of risk and recovery times with each kind of TMJ surgery.
Arthrocentesis
This procedure consists of irrigating the jaw joint and is the least invasive TMJ surgery. It is performed in a few minutes while you are under general anesthesia. You may feel nauseous from the anesthesia when you first wake up, and you will probably experience some swelling. If your jaw pain goes away after arthrocentesis, the surgery was a success. If the pain does not subside, more invasive procedures are probably necessary.
Disk Repositioning
Disk repositioning surgery will require you to stay overnight in the hospital. The surgery itself takes two hours or more under general anesthesia. You will probably experience nausea, swelling and pain at the surgical site, which should pass in a few days. The disk is sewn back into its proper place and muscles and ligaments are repaired as needed. Sometimes the disk will slip out of place again, requiring more extensive surgery at a later date.
Discectomy
A discectomy, or removal of the disk that cushions the joint, requires you to stay overnight in the hospital and is performed in a few hours under general anesthesia. Since this is a more radical procedure, recovery time can last two to three weeks. It may take several months for tissue to fill the joint again, and in the meantime your bones will rub and grind together. You should experience significant reduction in pain and be able to use your jaw within a month or six weeks following surgery.
Articular Eminance Recontouring and TMJ Replacement Surgery
Articular eminance recontouring, or the reshaping of the ball in the joint, is usually performed in the hospital as part of a more invasive TMJ surgery such as TMJ replacement. In TMJ replacement surgery, diseased parts of the jaw joint are removed and replaced with prosthetic parts (either bone harvested from another part of the patient's body or a metal joint). Since this is major surgery, your recovery time will be long and you may need to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate the replacement parts. You should regain use of your jaw in about a month, but will no longer be able to eat hard foods that could damage the new joint. This operation is a last resort, but it could become necessary if all other options have been explored.
Warning
As with all surgeries, you may experience swelling, pain, bleeding or even infection, so follow your doctor's instructions closely to minimize these risks. It is also possible that ear or facial nerves could be damaged during more invasive procedures. These are risks for any type of surgery; discuss all concerns with your doctor before agreeing to anything.
