Bilateral temporomandibular joint ankylosis

Abstract

Ankylosis is the fusion of joint surfaces by bone or fibrous tissue. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis may cause difficulty in chewing, speech, oral hygiene maintenance, and esthetic disfigurement. This condition can be unilateral or bilateral, complete or incomplete. TMJ ankylosis may occur due to various factors, such as trauma, local and systemic inflammatory conditions, neoplasms, and TMJ infection. Trauma due to forceps delivery causing bilateral TMJ ankylosis is rare. We report a case with difficulty in mouth opening, eating, speech, oral hygiene maintenance, facial disfigurement as a result of bilateral TMJ ankylosis caused due to trauma by forceps delivery. This report implores upon preventing such disabling complications due to forceps delivery.