Partial Joint Replacement

When only one of the components (disk, ball or socket) of the TMJ is replaced, it is called a partial joint replacement. If the temporal bone no longer provides a smooth socket (articular fossa), a metal liner (fossa replacement) is placed inside the TMJ to restore motion and flexibility in the TMJ. When the ends of the jawbone (condyles) are damaged and no longer ball-shaped, they can be replaced. Surgeons can harvest bone from another part of the patient's body, such as the ribs, and attach it with screws to the damaged section of the TMJ. A metal prosthesis is often used instead of bone because less surgery is needed, since there is no "donor" site.