Botulinum Toxin as an Adjunctive in Treatment of Tmj Ankylosis: Step No 10

It is a well-established phenomenon that skeletal muscles undergo disuse atrophy when they are not in use [2]. In TMJ Ankylosis, where the mandible is in a chronic state of closure, the logical inference would thus be that the elevator muscles would undergo degenerative changes or disuse atrophy. It has been suggested that prolonged TMJ ankylosis inhibits the normal use of the joint, are associated with degenerative changes in the masseter, medial pterygoid and temporalis muscles inducing reflex muscle splinting to protect the joint [1].