Comparative Study of a Patient-Specific TMJ Implant—Finite Element Analysis Approach

Designing the perfect alloplastic implant is the most critical aspect of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery. TMJ disorder develops at a rate of 4% every year, and 10% of the world population is already suffering from it. Biomedical Engineering must recognize the complex symptomatology to design a patient-specific implant design without substantial anomalies. Multiple implants are already available in the market, but modern-day oral and maxillofacial surgeons have inclined toward patient-specific implants with the slightest modifications. The primary purpose of the article is to evaluate and present a patient-specific implant concept developed for condylar head replacement. The primary goal of this concept is to recognize the complex symptomatology to design a patient-specific implant design without substantial anomalies and subsequently avoid problems experienced with temporomandibular (TMJ) devices on the market, associated with changes in kinematics. This study designed a 3-dimensional human mandible based on CT-scan DICOM images. The “PS-TMJ”—the patient-specific implant was designed and compared with Zimmer-Biomet and Christensen, based on finite element analysis. This study presents a new scope to develop the currently available patient-specific implant in the market.