Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis – A Sequelae To Neonatal Septic Arthritis

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) ankylosis is the pathological osseous or fibrous fusion of the condyle of the mandible with the mandibular fossa of temporal bone. The etiology of TMJ ankylosis includes previous trauma, infection, arthritis and previous TMJ surgery. The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) ankylosis in children is rare and the exact causes remain unclear. Trauma is well known as the most common factor in TMJ ankylosis particularly in childhood followed by infection. Septic arthritis of the TMJ is extremely rare in young infants. TMJ ankylosis as a complication of infection is a known but extremely rare condition, with only a few cases reported to date. Here we present a rare case of TMJ ankylosis in a 6 year old male child which was believed to be a consequence of undiagnosed septic arthritis of TMJ in the neonatal period.