Table 2.

Risks and contraindications associated with TMJ surgery

Poor patient selection

Patient is an unreliable historian

Secondary gain

Compensation seeking

Patient has unrealistic expectations of surgical outcome

Significant medical history

Psychiatric history

Inexperienced clinician

Poor diagnostic skills

Limited surgical experience

Bleeding

Infection and wound breakdown

Scarring

Surgical mishaps

Facial nerve paresis

Deafness

Malocclusion

Condylar resorption

Overzealous arthroplasty

Severe trismus (arthrogenous)

Adhesions

Fibrosis

Ankylosis

Persistent symptoms

Failure to continue supportive non-surgical therapy

Poor patient compliance—cannot follow instructions

Misdiagnosis—chronic pain syndrome, myofascial pain, normal joint