Award winning Specialist
Jaw joint replacement is a type of surgery for severe jaw pain, trauma, and infection, as well as chronic or severe cases of TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) disorder. At Harley Street Specialist Hospital, our dental specialists will help you determine if jaw joint replacement is a suitable treatment for you. Learn more about this type of oral and maxillofacial surgery at our central London clinic.
Consult with leading dental surgeon
Same day imaging scans, diagnosis & treatment
Pain relief for facial swelling, jaws, head and neck pain
Our dental surgery is based at Harley Street Specialist Hospital, an award-winning private hospital. We’re backed by a large pool of expert dental consultants and surgeons, who offer the best in TMJ surgery, other TMJ treatments, and a range of dental services.
Catering for self-paying and privately insured patients, we strive to provide diagnosis and treatment appointments at a time that suits you. You won’t be placed on a waiting list, and in many instances you can be seen on the same day. You’ll be able to discuss the jaw joint replacement procedure (as well as other possible treatment options) with our experienced consultants.
Book an appointment at our comfortable London dental hospital to find out more about jaw joint replacement surgery, and set yourself on the path to eliminate TMJ and jaw pain.
Jaw joint replacement (also known as TMJ replacement surgery) is a complex surgery that involves removing part or all of your jaw and replacing it with an artificial joint that’s custom-made for you. This surgery may be recommended following:
TMJ dysfunction can limit your jaw movements and make day-to-day life very challenging. While jaw joint replacement is an invasive procedure that requires substantial recovery time, it can give you long-term relief from TMJ jaw pain and help you feel more confident in your appearance after injury or health problems.
Find out more about what happens during jaw joint replacement surgery below, as well as the success rates, side effects, and costs of this procedure.
If a jaw joint replacement is recommended as part of your TMJ treatment, here’s what you can expect from the procedure:
1. Assessment and diagnosis — Your doctors will first assess the extent of your jaw damage using non-invasive diagnostic and imaging scans. They can then decide whether to recommend a jaw joint replacement or discuss other treatments with you.
2. Prosthetic joint development — If you’re a good candidate for jaw joint replacement, your artificial joint will be custom-made based on your facial scans. This can take a few weeks to complete. Our consultants will discuss the designs with you to ensure you’re happy with your jaw reconstruction.
3. General anaesthetic — This operation takes place under general anaesthetic, so you won’t be awake during the procedure. On the day, you’ll be asked to avoid eating or drinking a few hours before your operation so you can safely have the anaesthetic.
4. Jaw joint replacement — The surgeon will make a cut in front of your ear to open, remove, and replace the joint. If necessary, this will be repeated on the other side of your face as well. At the end of the procedure, these incisions will be stitched together in a way that minimises potential scarring.
5. Recovery — After your surgery you’ll be monitored in hospital for around a week while you recover.
Jaw joint replacement is a significant procedure that requires some downtime, even after you leave hospital. You’ll have regular contact and reviews with our team throughout to make sure you’re recovering well.
Learn more about the TMJ replacement operation, side effects, and recovery time in these frequently asked questions.
Replacement jaw joints usually last around 15-20 years. So it’s an excellent investment in your long-term oral health and a great way to restore a life free from TMJ pain.
To avoid early degradation or failure of your artificial jaw joint, get any dental issues checked out and treated as soon as you can.
After your procedure, you’ll stay in hospital for around a week so we can monitor your recovery and help with your jaw rehabilitation. You’ll then need to take some time off work to recover at home (the exact amount depends on the nature of your job and how you’re feeling).
You can speed up recovery by following your doctor’s aftercare instructions closely and eating only soft foods for around six weeks. Most patients start to feel fully recovered around 6-8 weeks after TMJ replacement.
Known side effects of this procedure include swelling, pain and discomfort after the general anaesthetic wears off.
There are a few other risks to be aware of, including:
These potential complications are rare, but your surgeon will discuss them all with you in greater depth before your procedure.
You may be a suitable candidate for TMJ replacement surgery if:
Yes, you’ll probably have a small scar in front of your ear following surgery. Your surgeons will do everything they can to minimise the appearance of this scar, and it should fade over time.
Experience the true meaning of personalised, premium care! Contact us today and let our elite surgical team design the optimum jaw joint replacement treatment plan, fully tailored to your needs and condition.
Spread the cost of your medical treatment over several months with our finance options and medical payment plans. This is ideal for patients seeking the speed and comfort of private healthcare without significant upfront payments.
Use our self-payment options to get prompt care with the consultant of your choice. Patients looking for fast, efficient treatment without private health insurance are welcome to pay for treatment before their procedure.
We welcome patients with private medical insurance from approved insurers, including Bupa, AXA, Aviva, and many more. Find out how to claim for your treatment with private health insurance to get optimum care and comfort.
Understand more about surgical jaw joint replacement here.
TMJ surgery is a successful procedure for treating TMJ disorder in many cases. One study of 56 patients found that 89% of TMJ disorder patients had good or fair outcomes (based on stability, function, and pain) around 2.5 years after their jaw joint replacement surgery.
NHS waiting list times differ throughout the UK. You can expect to wait around 11 to 31 weeks for maxillofacial surgery in London. You can avoid these waiting lists by booking private jaw surgery at Harley Street Specialist Hospital.
In general, this surgery should only be performed once your jaw bones have stopped growing. For this reason, many surgeons will only perform jaw surgery if you’re 18 or older (except in some limited circumstances).
There’s not usually an upper age limit for jaw surgery.
Yes, getting your jaw joint replaced is a major surgery. It requires a few weeks of recovery time and some lifestyle changes for a while after your procedure (such as cutting down on smoking and eating soft foods).
As a result, replacement jaw joint surgery is usually only recommended in severe cases of TMJ dysfunction, or after all other TMJ treatment options have been exhausted.
TMJ disorder symptoms may warrant surgery if you can no longer live your life normally due to your condition. For example:
There are other less invasive TMJ treatment options, so surgery is normally only recommended if other options have failed.
Jaw joint replacement surgery may be recommended for patients with severe chronic pain stemming from TMJ. At Harley Street Specialist Hospital, we offer many different TMJ treatments for people at all stages of this condition, so you may be able to avoid full jaw joint replacement if you seek advice early.
Book an appointment at our comfortable central London dental surgery for an initial assessment and consultation.
Diagnosis often takes place on the same day, so you can get a fast treatment plan that’s best suited to your symptoms.
