Congenital Bony Temporomandibular Ankylosis and Facial Hemiatrophy

Bony or fibrous ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint is not a clinical curiosity, but a bony ankylosis of this articulation occurring in the new-born associated with maxillary and mandibular hemiatrophy is of sufficient rarity to warrant a report. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Numerous cases of bony intra-articular temporomandibular ankyloses, discovered in the early years of life, have been reported.1In all instances in which the ankylosis was discovered within the first year of life or even in those instances in which it was discovered later without a definite history of postnatal trauma there was a history of a difficult forceps delivery. Langenbach,2prior to 1903, reported a case of bilateral bony ankylosis resulting shortly after a difficult forceps delivery. At the sixth year of life, arthroplasty was performed and a satisfactory functional result was obtained. Ballantyne3cited several cases of hemiatrophy of the mandible and maxilla and