Impact of treatment modalities on condylar and jaw growth in adolescents with anterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of various treatment modalities for anterior disc displacement (ADD) on the growth and development of adolescents' temporomandibular joints (TMJs). A search of PubMed, Web of Science, and OVID to March 2024 was carried out for: (1) trials in which adolescents were diagnosed with ADD and received treatment; and (2) studies reporting indicators of jaw growth and development. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Cochrane method used to assess the certainty of evidence. In total, 1167 patients with ADD were included from 11 studies (including two randomized controlled trials and nine cohort studies). After ADD treatment, the patients' condylar heights increased by around 1.76 mm. In the surgical group, the patients' condylar heights increased by around 1.82 mm, while in the non-surgical group, this value was around 0.27 mm, indicating a less significant improvement. Additionally, the SNB angle increased by about 1.62°.These results suggest that ADD treatment can promote condylar growth and reduce the occurrence of maxillofacial deformity. Additionally, the surgical group exhibited a more significant improvement than the non-surgical group. Surgical treatment also contributed significantly to SNB angle increases.

Keywords: Anterior disc displacement; Arthroscopic discopexy; Condylar height; Conservative treatment; Disc repositioning; Temporomandibular joint.