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Year 2007, Volume 17 / Issue 4

Pages: 102

Article price - $35.00

Profilometric Surface Roughness Analysis of Christensen Metal Temporomandibular Joint Prostheses

R. Vaderhobli
Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University of California-San Francisco, School of Dentistry

Subrata Saha
Biomedical Engineering Program, School of Graduate Studies; Musculoskeletal Research, Dept. Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine; Dept. Neurosurgery; Dept. Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA

Functional impairment affecting the quality of life results when a wide range of both muscular and joint pathologies affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Alloplastic reconstruction of joints using Christensen metal TMJ implants have been used since the 1960s for many such patients. To ensure the longevity of such TMJ prostheses, the wear rate of such implants should be minimal. Because surface roughness is an important factor that influences the wear rate, in this study we measured the surface roughness of the condylar and the fossa elements of the new and retrieved Christensen metal TMJ prostheses using the noncontacting optical interferometer (ZYGO-New View 5000). The roughness parameters of the retrieved specimens were statistically higher (p < 0.05) than those for the new specimens, but were less than the retrieved metal total knee implants as reported in the literature.

pages 281-288

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